To be honest, I buy and hide things for Christmas months in advance, and no, the kids don't get gifts all year around. When we were financially strapped, my oldest used to come to us with his wish list and ask if things on it cost too much. He got a lot of hand me downs, a lot of second hand stuff, and most of it was still good stuff. Now, yeah, I still get looked at funny by some filks, because when I get my oldest birthday and christmas stuff, it's not alot, but it's the best I can afford. Better that then the cart loads of cheap crap that will go to pieces and be out of style before the season is out. My income is way too uncertain for that.
You don't have to sell out to enjoy the season. It's a lot harder when you don't, but not impossible, and thank good, our son has never been into fads or that type of thing. We do a LOT of baking, a LOT of listening to old Chrismas CD's, a LOT of crafting, a LOT of church stuff. It helps not living in town. And NO. Wrecking yourself to buy presents is NOT proof of true love. I agree with you Venus.
I've written this before, but when the Vikings used to celebrate Yule, they used to talk about people eating themselves to death at the feasts where you'd try to get rid of whatever wouldn't keep over winter. Sounds like it's not quite Christmas we're celebrating in every case nowadays.