Like many mothers around the world, Emma Tapping has worked hard all year saving up to buy Christmas presents for her family. She’s scrimped, she’s wrapped, she’s placed them under the tree.
Except, unlike other mothers, the result looks like this:
That's roughly 300 gifts. And no, the British woman doesn't have an exceptionally large family. Just a very fortunate one.
"Another year of hard graft, saving and planning. Another year of my family making me proud everyday," the mother of three wrote on Facebook.
"They deserve a great Christmas. The haters will hate but nothing and no one will change how I do Christmas."
And hate they did.
When Tapping shared a photograph of her last pile of presents on Instagram 12 months ago, she was flooded with comments from outraged followers. Some even accused her of "abusing" her children.
"Someday when your children feel entitled and want everything handed to them I bet you'll regret the overindulgence," wrote one.
"Ridiculous! and Unnecessary! and Materialistic! and Misguided! and Wasteful! [sic]" wrote another.
That pile only had a measly 255 presents worth around $2500. This year her children, aged 14, 10 and a few months old, have 96 each.
“If you ask me 'Do I spoil my kids?', I would say 'At Christmas, yeah I do', but I don’t spoil them throughout the year," she said, according to The Sun.
"They get their necessities, their school uniforms, the things that they need, but we don’t go on holidays abroad, they don’t go on big shopping sprees — anything they want they get it for Christmas."
Each gift is carefully numbered and catalogued so she can keep track, then joined by the extra sack of goodies Santa drops off on Christmas eve.
We shudder to think what Chrissie morning looks like in that living room.
But it's all part of the joy for Tapping. (Post continues after gallery.)
The best Christmas pop culture viewing.
“What I love about Christmas is the magic of it, and it’s family time for me, it’s about being with my loved ones and I love seeing their faces when I give them gifts,” she said, reports The Sun.
As for the backlash, she's braced herself for a repeat this festive season.
“When it first happened I felt like I had to stick up for the kids. I felt like I had to justify what I was doing. Now I couldn’t give a toss what anyone thinks," she said.
"It’s not going to change the way I do things, and if they don’t like it, it’s a good job I’m not their mum.”
Top Comments
"They get their necessities, their school uniforms, the things that they need, but we don’t go on holidays abroad, they don’t go on big shopping sprees — anything they want they get it for Christmas." We got what we needed, but never went on any holidays that involved any transportation other than the car. We never went on big shopping sprees, we got money for our birthdays.
Who cares?? Whatever happened to -- as my Granny would say -- 'minding your own business' or 'live and let live' -- this applies both to the mother in the story and the people who feel impelled to comment. Seriously!!! Please note I am only commenting because...(insert confused face)...seriously!!!!