UK single mum Emma Tapping caused a social media uproar last year after she shared a photo of her Christmas tree, swamped with hundreds of presents for her three kids, to Facebook.

After forking out $2,600 for gifts for her daughters Mia, 15, Ella, 11, and son Tatun, three, she was slammed for spoiling her kids “rotten”, with some even accusing her of abusing them with the sheer number of presents.

This year, the 37-year-old has been back at it again, starting her Christmas shopping in January and amassing a total of more than 300 presents costing around £2,000 ($3,500).

“I work hard for my money,” Tapping told ITV’s This Morning, defending her excessive spending. 

“I work all year round for my money and why would I be slugging my guts out all year if I can’t treat my kids at Christmas?

“I start in January, shop all the way through the year, and that’s the pile at the end of the year.” She then pointed to her overflowing pile of presents under the tree in her Isle of Man home.

“I don’t spoil them throughout the year,” Tapping claimed in another interview. “If they want something they have to do chores and buy it themselves. If they break their phones for example, they don’t just get a new one from me. They get stuff they need but they don’t get spoiled.”

But her critics disagree. “This is obscene,” wrote one Twitter user. “While other children go hungry and people are homeless, why not donate?"

“We all want to spoil our kids at Christmas, but that is just flipping ridiculous!” another commented.

Tell us in the comments below, what do you think?

Image credit: Emma Tapping/Instagram.