The Great Potlatch Riots

In a world where the state dictates every holiday celebration, a young officer named Captain Winfree is determined to push the system even farther. Working for the Bureau of Seasonal Gratuities, he proposes an audacious new campaign: turning every consumer’s birthday into a compulsory “Gratuity Day,” complete with fines for non‑compliance and a catchy slogan, “Make the Magi Come the Year ’Round—Birthday Gratuities for All!” His plan promises a surge in national prosperity, but it also threatens to bind citizens to an endless cycle of mandated gifting.

Winfree’s zeal puts him at odds with his senior, Major Dampfer, who worries the scheme could backfire and set their district back years. As the captain stakes his career—and even his upcoming wedding—on the success of the project, the bureaucracy’s iron grip tightens. Yet whispers of public frustration begin to surface, hinting that the drive for perpetual celebration may spark a rebellion none of the officials anticipated.