I’m sure you all know how frustrating it can be when your kids ask for so many things for Christmas, and then you have to go out and spend money to get it, and all the stores are crowded, and none are empty, and the process of wrapping, and trying not to wake your kid up as you put them under the tree, and the kids will forget about them eventually anyways. Wouldn’t it be great if the whole thing just… sort of… went away?

Well, in 1912, it did. While all this was happening, a man named August Belmont had become fed up with all this money-spending. He announced to a group of women that a new society was formed: SPUG. What does that stand for? The Society for the Prevention of Useless Giving. What Belmont wanted was exactly that. Don’t buy useless stuff, pay attention to what others really need. So the society started. Thousands of people joined by December, and the 10 cent dues actually helped to fund the first community Christmas Tree ceremony in America at Madison Square Park.

Soon, a men’s branch was formed, led by former President Roosevelt, and SPUG spread throughout the country. The society remained strong until WWII, where rationing was necessary. When the 1950’s came around, the society seemed to be forgotten about.

I hope you enjoyed this little chapter of American history. Don’t forget to comment!