Paula and unemployed hubby Darren normally buy around 25 gifts for EACH of their kids, including computer games and designer outfits.
The family has THREE Xbox consoles in the home — one of which is connected to a huge flatscreen TV in the lounge which also has a Virgin TV box.
But this year any new clothes will be bought in the January sales. And a broken iPad has been replaced with a £50 tablet from eBay.
She said: “Christmas is an important time for our family.But this year we’re having to cut back. It makes me feel sick.
“David Cameron is a Scrooge. Christmas is supposed to be the season of goodwill, but it feels like we’re being penalised.”
She added: “How do you explain to children that Father Christmas can’t bring them what they want? It spoils the magic.”
Paula also throws an extra party for daughter Arian, whose birthday falls on Christmas Day — but may cancel it this year because she cannot afford it.
The couple have been married for 16 years and have kids Jordan, 18, Darren, 16, Courtney, 15, Kyle, 13, Skye, 12, Ethan, ten, Letitia, eight, Arian, six, Makenzie, five and Luca, two.
Hubby Darren, 41, was made redundant from his warehouse job eight years ago and is now carer to son Makenzie, who has cerebral palsy.
They live in a five-bedroom house in Walton, Liverpool, and claim child benefit, child tax credit as well as carers’ and disability allowance for their son.
Paula will still spend more on this Christmas than many working families, but she added: “Christmas was always a big occasion. We would spend about £2,500 on presents for the kids.
“This year I can’t afford it. We’re having a budget Christmas, spending about £1,000.”
She added: “People with big families get stigmatised. We get seen as benefit scroungers but we’re not. We appreciate the help we get. I’m not being ungrateful, but it’s just not enough. The benefits cap is making life impossible.”
