Happy Festivus Day! (Dec 23, 2007)

Another holiday that seems to be gathering steam Decemeber 23rd marks what should be the biggest holiday of the year since anyone can celebrate it: Festivus Day!

What is Festivus Day, you ask? Well we turn to this webpage for the answer: http://www.rogertheengineer.com/oldpepe.htm

"Perhaps the best solution here is to shun conventional holiday rituals in favour of "Festivus", celebrated on the 23rd day of the December month.

"Under the Pepe Festivus model (a refined version of the Frank Costanza model), there are to be no religious affiliations, no exchange of gifts, and no singing. In place of a tree (or menorah) there is to be a tall aluminium pole, devoid of tinsel and with a high strength-to-weight ratio, to mark the season. Informal Christmas/Chanukah traditions will be formalised, and as such Festivus Eve will see the "airing of grievances", where those gathered outline how they have disappointed one another over the past 12 months. Festivities officially close on the evening of Festivus with the "feats of strength", where those gathered then pit themselves against each other in a series of gruelling physical contests."

Every Seinfeld fan knows that Dec 23 is Festivus day. It was started by George's father as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas.

Frank: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had -- but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank: It was destroyed. But out of that, a new holiday was born -- a Festivus for the rest of us!

Festivus Finally, the neatest holiday of the season is Festivus. You may never have heard of it, because you can't find Festivus cards at the store or see Festivus specials on TV, but don't worry. Festivus is the combination of all of the winter holidays into one big celebration. It is celebrated on the 23rd and is a celebration of all of the silliness of the holidays. Festivus was created by Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, and it actually seems to be a valid holiday for many families.

On that night, all of the family members gather around the table for an "Ailing of Grievances," about all of the problems of the past year with the other family members.

For decorations, there is one, a long skinny metal pole. Tinsel and ornaments can be distracting, according to Frank Costanza.

Programming for Festivus is pretty easy:

Have an Ailing of Grievances with your residents about being in college, about the roughness of classes, and conclude with a midnight scream and lead the residents outside to scream as loud as they can at midnight. This can be done a week before Festivus if it works better for you! A week before would be the heart of finals for most schools.

Build Mini Festivus Trees out of cardboard toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls and paint them silver. These are great things for residents to take home for the holidays. Their parents will wonder what their children are actually doing at school other than painting silver tubes.

Watch the Festivus Seinfeld Episode if you can find it on video, it is truly one of the best holiday specials ever created!

Definition: Festivus (Dec 23)

According to Seinfeld, Festivus is celebrated each year on December 23, but many people celebrate it other times, often in early December. Its slogan is "A Festivus for the rest of us!" An aluminium pole is generally used in lieu of a Christmas tree or other holiday decoration. Those attending participate in the "Airing of Grievances" which is an opportunity for all to vent their hostilities toward each other, and after a Festivus dinner, The Feats of Strength are performed. Traditionally, Festivus is not over until the head of the household is wrestled to the floor and "pinned."