Ah , the holidays . In Hallmark card , it ’s a time when family and friends gather together around thefireplaceto relax and reflect on all the great thing that have encounter in the previous year . Every corner and cranny is decorated to ne plus ultra with elaborate ornamentation and every gift is exactly what you always want . There ’s plenty of milk and cookies , and Grandpa tells magical narration of how he make unnecessary the ' 43 Christmas with only a chicken drumstick , an older sled , and a hacksaw .
Unfortunately , real spirit is no Hallmark carte du jour . For many folks , the holiday are filled with visits from people they are glad to see only once a year , endowment that you would n’t give to your bad enemy , and unsightly palm that have been known to cause sightlessness in lab animals . And let ’s not bury the jumbo lines at the promenade , the inevitabletrafficdelays on the road , and the mind - numbing , ear - piercing music that is so bad it has been bar to December airplay only .
Yes , the vacation can be a stressful and near - maddening time . If only there was an alternative to all the caroling , wreath - hanging , consumerism , and yuletiding . Wait a moment … there is ! Any fan of the succeeding TV Hall of Fame sitcom " Seinfeld " lie with that there exist a festivity which refuses to comply with the outdated traditions and spectacles of vacation by .
This celebration ’s name isFestivus . Here ’s how it started .
The origins of the Festivus solemnization can be dated back to one ( fancied ) man ’s refusal to conform to the increased commerce and consumerism which has saturated the December vacation time of year . This man ’s name is Frank Costanza . During a routine outing to secure aChristmasgift for his son George , outcome transpired which would perpetually change the landscape of theholiday time of year .
In his own words : " Many Christmases ago , I go to purchase a doll for my Logos . I reached for the last one they had – but so did another man . As I rain down nose candy upon him , I realized there had to be another way ! [ The doll ] was destroyed . But out of that , a Modern holiday was born . ' A Festivus for the rest of us ! ' "
From this altercation , Frank Costanza embarked on a quest to make a fete which did not include the fabric and superficial facet of most wintertime vacation . Many people lionize Festivus on the 23rd day of December , but due to the nonconforming aspect of the holiday , it may be celebrated whenever one so opt . lease ’s take a looking at at the three major component which make up the Festivus Holiday .
The Three Elements of Festivus
The Festivus Pole
" Have you seen the pole , Kruger?"- Frank Costanza
As a symbolisation of the anti - holiday commercialization , devotees of Festivus display a bombastic pole in a big emplacement in their home or dwelling . The celestial pole is atomic number 13 , opt due to its very high strong point - to - weight ratio , and is never decorated ( this stems from founder Frank Costanza ’s belief that " tinsel is distracting " ) . After the celebration is over , it is not uncommon for a terminal to be localise in an out - of - the - agency place , such as a crawl space .
The Airing of Grievances
" Welcome , new comers . The tradition of Festivus begins with the public exposure of grievances . I got a pot of problems with you people ! And now you ’re gon na hear about it!"- Frank Costanza
During the Festivus celebration , friend and family amount together to recognize the holiday with an annual dinner party . While no specific foods are relevant to the vacation , the dinner contains the most outspoken of the Festivus traditions : the Airing of Grievances .
During the Airing of Grievances , a Festivus devotee inform all those in attendance how they disappoint him the yr before . It is also a prison term to report any ongoing problem or irritation that one is having with anyone else celebrate at the dinner party . Everyone in attendance is reach the chance to speak before the last tradition of Festivus begins …
The Feats of Strength
" Until you pin me , George , Festivus is not over!"- Frank Costanza
In accordance of rights with Festivus tradition , the celebration may not terminate until two people participate in a contest known as the Feats of Strength . During this event , the head of the household ( or the boniface of the Festivus dinner ) challenges one of the guests to a run of forcible strength . The challenger may choose anyone as an opponent and a challenge may not be refused unless , of course , the challenged has a previous betrothal .
to obtain triumph in the Feats of Strength , one must pin their adversary to the land . There are various definitions of what comprise a " pin " during theduel , but the most mutual is the standard 3 count . ( Some swallow a " pat out " due to submission as an acceptable way to end the contest . ) Until the head of the family is pinned , the Festivus celebration is not officially over .
- HowStuffWorks does not condone involution in the Feats of Strength without proper adult supervision and protective gear .
Festivus Today
" It ’s a Festivus miracle!"-Cosmo Kramer
Festivus wasoriginally createdby Seinfeld author Dan O’Keefe ’s forefather when O’Keefe was 8 years old . It include Feats of Strength and the Airing of Grievances . ( The pole was added by show author . )
Since it first seem in episode 166 ( " The Strike " ) in December 1997 , Festivus has continued to gain popularity among " Seinfeld " fans . As the series go on to detect more fan in syndication , new legions of disenfranchised gift givers will make the pilgrim’s journey to their local Home Depot to obtain the sacred aluminum poles . So , if you find that a donation has been made in your name to the " Human Fund " ( a phony fund set up by George Costanza ) this holiday season , remember it ’s just someone ’s way of saying , " Happy Festivus ! "
