It’s that time of year again. Happy Festival!
This anti-holiday, made famous by “Seinfeld,” is celebrated every December 23 by people who want to embrace their inner “Bah Humbug” as a secular alternative to the consumerism of Christmas. It is celebrated on
One of the modern Festivus traditions is to use X (officially Twitter) to vent pent-up resentment, anger, and frustration.
A new holiday has been born. It’s a festival for the rest of us! pic.twitter.com/iXT4vIZyp5
— Festivus Web (@FestivusWeb) December 22, 2024
But what exactly is a festival? Here’s a look at its origins and how to celebrate it.
What is the meaning of the festival?
The festival is a quirky holiday popularized by a 1997 episode of “Seinfeld.” The holiday, dubbed “Festival for the Rest,” is celebrated by the Costanza family on December 23rd as an inclusive, secular alternative to the consumerism of Christmas.
In protest of Christmas commercialism, George Costanza’s father, Frank Costanza, erects a plain aluminum pole in place of a tree. The metal has a “very high strength-to-weight ratio,” he says admiringly.
What is the origin of the festival?
The festival episodes of “Seinfeld” evolved from series writer Dan O’Keefe’s childhood experiences. His father invented the holiday in the 1960s.
“When I was a kid, I would come home and there would be weird decorations,” O’Keefe said in an interview with The Associated Press. “There was some weird 50s German and Italian pop music playing. And the expressions of discontent were real.”
At his family celebrations, watches and bags appeared instead of poles. (O’Keeffe said his father would not reveal what they symbolized.)
What will you eat at the festival dinner?
According to an episode of “Seinfeld” titled “The Strike,” the official dish of the festival is meatloaf. Serve to guests on top of lettuce.
What are the festival stages?
According to the “Seinfeld” model, there are four main traditions associated with festival observation.
Instead of a traditional Christmas tree, an undecorated aluminum pole is used. “Mainly because tinsel is too distracting,” explains Frank Costanza.
Serve your guests a small dinner of sliced meatloaf.
Once everyone is around the dinner table, it’s time to start “venting your frustrations.” This is an opportunity for family members and attendees to share their pent-up feelings for each other over the past year.
The party concludes with a “feat of strength,” a wrestling match in which the guests pin the patriarch or host to end the party.
