Yes it’s true that you got gifts for your char’s in-game “birthdays”. They were usually minipets and, while fun, generally just cosmetic.
Guildwars 1 was always great for its seasonal events, like the midwinter holiday events where there were lots of give-aways. I’d be surprised if Arenanet broke with this tradition for GW2.
As for your question whether there’s a point making lots of chars… well if you have empty slots, my not?
