If your idea of how to celebrate a winter festival has less to do with astronomical phenomena, religious observance or gift-giving, and more with the “airing of grievances” and “feats of strength,” well then a merry Festivus to you. Dating back to a 1997 episode of Seinfeld in which Frank Costanza turns his back on the commercialization of Christmas and decides to create his own holiday, Festivus has gone from a sitcom joke to a genuine seasonal phenomenon, typically celebrated on December 23. The event actually originated in the family of Seinfeld writer Daniel O’Keefe, whose The Real Festivus is a helpful guide on how to start gathering around the aluminum pole, and creating your own Festivus tradition.
Elsewhere:
– “Yes, Virginia, there is a Festivus” (Boston Globe)
– “A Festivus for the Rest of Us” (Washington Post) – Interview with Dan O’Keefe
– “Have Yourself a Merry Little Festivus” (Washington Post)
– “‘Seinfeld’ spurs Festivus pole sales” (Yahoo News)
Posted on Dec 22, 2006 08:30 PM by kristin
