Festivus
Origins and history
Festivus is a secular holiday, celebrated on December 23, that serves as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally a family tradition of scriptwriter Dan O'Keefe, who worked on the American sitcom Seinfeld, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of a 1997 episode of the show.
The concept of Festivus was originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe and it was first celebrated in 1966. However, it did not become widely known until its inclusion in Seinfeld. The holiday, as portrayed in the show, includes practices such as the "Airing of Grievances", which occurs during the Festivus meal and in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed them over the past year. After the meal, the "Feats of Strength" are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, with the holiday ending only if the head of the household is pinned.
Festivus pole
In the Seinfeld episode, the tradition of Festivus begins with an aluminum pole. During Festivus, the pole is displayed unadorned. According to Frank Costanza, the character on the show who explains the Festivus traditions, "I find tinsel distracting." The Festivus pole is an important symbol of the holiday, and it is customary to use an aluminum pole due to the metal's "very high strength-to-weight ratio". The original holiday featured a clock, not a pole, placed in a bag and nailed to a wall, but this tradition did not make it into the Seinfeld version of the holiday.
Airing of Grievances
The "Airing of Grievances" takes place immediately after the Festivus dinner has been served. It consists of each person lashing out at others and the world about how they have been disappointed in the past year. This is an opportunity to express dissatisfaction with each other and with life's failures. In the Seinfeld episode, the tradition is depicted as cathartic but uncomfortable.
Feats of Strength
The "Feats of Strength" is the final tradition observed in the celebration of Festivus, celebrated immediately following (or in the case of dinner at the Costanzas, during) the Festivus dinner. The head of the household selects one person at the Festivus celebration and challenges them to a wrestling match. Tradition states Festivus is not over until the head of the household is pinned. If the chosen person does not have the strength (or will) to pin the head of the household, they are allowed to decline and Festivus continues as usual.
Festivus miracles
"Festivus miracles", a concept from the Seinfeld episode, are not supernatural events, but rather unlikely coincidences that characters interpret as miraculous within the context of Festivus. The use of the term "miracle" is ironic, as the characters are using it to describe mundane events that they perceive to be fortuitous or coincidental.
Popularity and legacy
Festivus has been embraced by many as a way to express holiday cheer without participating in the commercialism associated with Christmas. Since the airing of the Seinfeld episode, many people have been inspired to start their own Festivus traditions. The holiday has been referenced in other TV shows and films, and Festivus poles can be purchased online. It has also been used as a political protest tool, for example, in response to Christmas-themed displays in public buildings.