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The Bull Moose and the Bauble: When Teddy Roosevelt Joined the War on Useless Christmas Gifts
In 1912, the Society for the Prevention of Useless Giving (SPUG) fought against obligatory holiday gifts. Backed by prominent figures like Theodore Roosevelt, the 6,000-member group challenged the era's rampant consumerism and workplace gift pressure before fading away with the onset of WWI.
Every holiday season, a familiar sense of dread can creep in. What do you buy for the person who has everything? How do you navigate the unspoken rules of office gift exchanges? If you've ever felt this modern anxiety, you might be surprised to learn that you have kindred spirits who were tackling this very problem over a century ago, with a former U.S. President leading the charge.
The Tyranny of the Obligatory Gift
The year was 1912. In the bustling, stratified world of Gilded Age New York, Christmas wasn't just about cheer; it was about obligation. A particularly troubling custom had taken hold: the expectation that employees give expensive, elaborate gifts to their bosses. For low-wage workers, this was more than an inconvenience; it was a significant financial burden, a form of social blackmail to curry favor or avoid disapproval. At the same time, the exchange of gifts among social peers had ballooned into a competition of useless, dust-collecting baubles.
Fed up with this trend, a group of prominent women, including activist Anne Morgan (daughter of financier J.P. Morgan) and actress Eleanor Robson Belmont, decided to fight back. They formed the Society for the Prevention of Useless Giving, or "SPUG" as it affectionately became known.
A President Joins the Cause
The society's mission was twofold: to eliminate the custom of obligatory, competitive gift-giving and to stamp out the practice of employees giving presents to their employers. The idea caught on like wildfire. Within a short time, the society boasted 6,000 members. Its profile skyrocketed when it signed on its first male member: former President Theodore Roosevelt. Fresh off his "Bull Moose" presidential campaign, Roosevelt lent his considerable public weight to the cause, validating its principles of thrift, sincerity, and fairness in an era of progressive reform.
The 'SPUG' Rebellion
Members of SPUG didn't just complain; they organized. The society issued membership cards and holiday seals bearing the "SPUG" name to be affixed to letters and gifts, signaling the sender's commitment to thoughtful, meaningful giving. Their message was simple and direct, encapsulated in a motto reported by The New York Times:
"The giving of Christmas presents has become a menace to the happiness of many, and the source of much that is evil… Let us make our gifts thoughtful and not lavish, and let us remember our tired shop-workers and give them our help by shopping sanely."
The movement had a tangible impact. Department stores, initially concerned about a drop in sales, eventually began to cater to the SPUG ethos, advertising more practical and useful items. Businesses across the country started posting notices explicitly forbidding the practice of employees giving gifts to superiors.
A Timeless Complaint
SPUG's momentum was ultimately halted by a global catastrophe. With the outbreak of World War I, the nation's focus shifted from consumer habits to the war effort, and the society faded from public view. Yet, its core complaints never truly vanished. A century later, online forums and social media threads light up with the same frustrations: the pressure of office Secret Santas, the financial strain of holiday expectations, and the desire to replace material objects with genuine connection. The SPUG movement of 1912 was a fascinating historical footnote, but it was also a powerful reminder that the search for authenticity over obligation is a timeless holiday tradition of its own.