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			{{short description\|Secular holiday celebrated December 23}}
	]
			{{about\|the December observance\|other uses\|Festivus (disambiguation)}}
	'''Festivus''' is a ] ] featured in an episode of '']'', a popular ] television ] of the ]. It was featured on episode number 166 of the show, entitled ''The Strike'', which first aired on ] ]. Many people, influenced or inspired by ''Seinfeld'', now celebrate the holiday in real life.
			{{Use American English\|date=December 2021}}
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=December 2022}}
			{{Infobox holiday
			\| holiday_name = Festivus
			\| image = Festivus Pole.jpg
			\| image_size = 120px
			\| caption = Festivus pole
			\| observedby =
			\| duration = 1 day
			\| frequency = Annual
			\| date = December 23
			\| mdy = yes
			\| celebrations = Airing of grievances, feats of strength, the aluminum pole, Festivus dinner, Festivus miracles
			\| type = Secular
			\| significance = Celebrated as an alternative to the pressures and ] of the Christmas holiday season
			}}

			'''Festivus''' ({{IPAc-en\|ˈ\|f\|ɛ\|s\|t\|ɪ\|v\|ə\|s}}) is a ] holiday ] on December 23 as an alternative to the perceived pressures and ] of the ]. Originally created by author ], Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 '']'' episode "]",<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="ljworld">{{Cite web \|title=Festivus for the rest of us \|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/dec/18/festivus_rest_us/?christmas_holidays= \|access-date=December 25, 2006 \|website=LJWorld}}</ref> which O'Keefe's son, ], co-wrote.
	Festivus is celebrated each year on ]. Its slogan is "''A Festivus for the rest of us!''"

			The non-commercial holiday's celebration, as depicted on ''Seinfeld'', occurs on December 23 and includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum Festivus pole, practices such as the "airing of grievances" and "feats of strength", and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles".<ref name="script" /> The episode refers to it as "a Festivus for the rest of us".
	The character ] (played by ]) created it as an alternative holiday in response to the commercialization of ]. He explained its origins during the episode to the character ] (played by ]), as seen in the following dialogue:

			It has been described both as a parody holiday festival and as a form of playful consumer resistance.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last1=Mikkonen \|first1=Ilona \|last2=Bajde, Domen \|date=April 10, 2012 \|title=Happy Festivus! Parody as playful consumer resistance \|journal=Consumption Markets & Culture \|volume=16 \|issue=4 \|pages=311–337 \|doi=10.1080/10253866.2012.662832 \|s2cid=144392280}}</ref> Journalist ] describes it as "the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering".<ref name="nytimes">{{Cite news \|last=Salkin \|first=Allen \|date=December 19, 2004 \|title=Fooey to the World: Festivus Is Come \|work=The New York Times \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/19/fashion/19FEST.html \|access-date=January 9, 2008}}</ref>
	: '''Frank Costanza:''' ''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.''
	: '''Cosmo Kramer:''' ''What happened to the doll?''
	: '''Frank Costanza:''' ''It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born . . . a Festivus for the rest of us!''
	: '''Cosmo Kramer:''' ''That must've been some kind of doll.''
	: '''Frank Costanza:''' ''She was!''

			== History ==
	In the episode, Kramer had become interested in resurrecting the holiday after hearing the plight of his friend—Frank Costanza's son—] (played by ]), who used the holiday celebration he hated in his youth as a defensive excuse to his employer, Kruger (played by ]). George had been confronted by Kruger after handing out cards for Christmas to his fellow employees stating a donation had been made to a fake charity called ''The Human Fund'' ("Money For People") in lieu of exchanging Christmas presents. George defended himself saying that he feared persecution for his beliefs, for not celebrating Christmas. Calling his bluff, Kruger came home with George to see Festivus in action.
			Festivus was conceived by author and editor ], the father of television writer ], and was celebrated by his family as early as 1966. While the ] word {{lang\|la\|fēstīvus}} means "excellent, jovial, lively",<ref>{{Cite web \|title=festivus \|url=https://logeion.uchicago.edu/festivus \|access-date=November 23, 2019 \|website=Logeion.uchicago.edu}}</ref> and derives from ''fēstus'', meaning "joyous; holiday, feast day",<ref name="nd.edu">{{Cite web \|title=Latin Word Lookup \|url=http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/lookup.pl?stem=fest&ending= \|website=archives.nd.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|title=festus \|url=http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/words.exe?festus \|access-date=December 27, 2007 \|website=Archives.nd.edu \|archive-date=February 11, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211065336/http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/words.exe?festus \|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="jsonline">{{Cite web \|title=Our day, our way \|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=365353 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061217110536/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=365353 \|archive-date=December 17, 2006 \|access-date=December 25, 2006 \|website=Journal Sentinel Online}}</ref> ''Festivus'' in this sense was coined by the elder O'Keefe. According to him, the name "just popped into my head".<ref name="nytimes" /> In the original O'Keefe tradition, the holiday would take place to celebrate the anniversary of Daniel O'Keefe's first date with his future wife, Deborah.<ref name="salkin">{{Cite book \|last=Salkin \|first=Allen \|url=https://archive.org/details/festivusholidayf00salk \|title=Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of us \|year=2005 \|publisher=Grand Central \|isbn=978-0446696746 \|url-access=registration}}</ref> The phrase "a Festivus for the rest of us" originally referred to those remaining after the death of the elder O'Keefe's mother, Jeanette, in 1976; i.e., the "rest of us" are the living, as opposed to the dead.<ref name=real /><ref>{{Cite news \|last=O'Keefe \|first=Dan \|date=December 21, 2009 \|title=Festivus \|newspaper=] \|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/12/16/DI2009121603245.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022072123/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/12/16/DI2009121603245.html \|archive-date=October 22, 2015 }}</ref>

			In 1982, Daniel O'Keefe wrote a book, ''Stolen Lightning: The Social Theory of Magic'', that deals with ] ritual and its social significance, a theme relevant to Festivus tradition.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=O'Keefe \|first=Daniel Lawrence \|title=Stolen Lightning : The Social Theory of Magic \|date=1982 \|publisher=Continuum \|isbn=978-0826400598 \|location=New York}}</ref>
	==Main elements of Festivus==

			It is now celebrated on December 23, as depicted in the ''Seinfeld'' episode written by the younger O'Keefe.<ref name="ljworld" />
	]
	The Festivus celebration includes three major components:

			=== ''Seinfeld'' ===
	* '''The Festivus Pole:''' During Festivus, an unadorned ] pole is displayed, apparently in opposition to the commercialization of decorated Christmas trees, and because the holiday's creator, Frank Costanza, "find tinsel distracting." Local customs have changed and you may be able to decorate your pole with non-threatening plain decorations.
			The ''Seinfeld'' episode that featured Festivus was titled "]", although O'Keefe notes that the writers later wished they had named it "The Festivus". It was first broadcast on December 18, 1997. The plot revolves around ] (]) returning to work at his old job, ]. While dining at ], as ] (]) is opening his mail, he receives a card from his father saying, "Dear Son, Happy Festivus." This leads to ] (]) and ] (]) discussing George's father's creation of Festivus despite George not wanting it to be discussed.<ref name="script">{{Cite web \|title=The Strike \|url=http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheStrike.htm \|access-date=December 25, 2012 \|website=SeinfeldScripts.com\| publisher= \| date= }}</ref> Kramer then becomes interested in resurrecting the holiday when, at the bagel shop, ] (]) tells him how he created Festivus as an alternative holiday in response to the commercialization of Christmas.<ref name="script" />

			Meanwhile, George creates donation cards for a fake charity called ] (with the slogan "Money for People") in lieu of having to give office Christmas presents. When his boss, ] (]), questions George about a $20,000 check he gave George to donate to the Human Fund as a corporate donation, George hastily concocts the excuse that he made up the Human Fund because he feared persecution for his beliefs, of celebrating Festivus instead of Christmas. Attempting to call his bluff, Kruger goes home with George to see Festivus in action.<ref name="script" />
	* '''The Airing of Grievances:''' At the Festivus dinner, each participant tells friends and family all of the instances where they disappointed him or her that year.

			Kramer eventually goes back on strike from his bagel-vendor job when his manager tells him he cannot take December 23 off to celebrate his newfound holiday. Kramer is then seen on the sidewalk ] H&H Bagels, carrying a sign reading "Festivus yes! Bagels no!" and chanting to anyone passing the store: "Hey! No bagel, no bagel, no bagel..."<ref name="script" />
	* '''The Feats of Strength:''' The head of the family tests his or her strength against one participant of the head's choosing. Festivus is not considered over until the head of the family has been pinned to the ground. A participant is allowed to decline to attempt to pin the head of the family only if they have something better to do instead.

			Finally, at Frank's house in ], ], Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George gather to celebrate Festivus. George brings Kruger to prove to him that Festivus is "all too real".<ref name="script" />
	While not an element of the holiday or its celebration, the phenomenon of the ''Festivus Miracle'' should not be underestimated. When, at one point in the episode, the bookie inadvertently found Kramer and ] (played by ]) at the Bagel Shop, Kramer enthusiastically said: "It's A Festivus Miracle!" Kramer reported another "Festivus Miracle" when Gwen found Jerry at the Costanza home (despite Kramer's previous directions to Gwen). In truth, a Festivus miracle is a second rate occurrence, or no more than a coincidence. Therefore, calling any event a "Festivus Miracle" is in reality very weak praise.

			O'Keefe was initially reluctant to insert his family's tradition into this episode, but when executive producers ] and ] learned of the bizarre holiday through O'Keefe's brother, they became curious, then enthusiastic, then insisted that it be included in the episode. Schaffer later reflected: "That's the thing with ''Seinfeld'' stories, the real ones are always the best ones. There's a nuance to reality sometimes that is just perfect. We could have sat in a room for a billion years and we never would have made up Festivus. It's crazy and hilarious and just so funny and so disturbing. It's awesome."<ref>{{Cite web \|date=December 23, 2016 \|title=Stop Crying And Fight Your Father: Seinfeld Writers Tell How Festivus Came To Be \|url=http://uproxx.com/tv/seinfeld-festivus-true-story/ \|access-date=December 13, 2017 \|website=]}}</ref>
	==Origin==
	The Festivus idea came to the show through writer Daniel O'Keefe. His father, Dan O'Keefe, had invented a Festivus holiday in ], including many of the features later included in ''Seinfeld.'' He was inspired in part by the ] play '']'', whose protagonist tapes himself speaking at different times in his life; the original ''Airing of Grievances'' was spoken into a tape recorder, and the O'Keefe family retains some of the tapes. (The father's career as a '']'' editor meant internal politics of that organization are prominently featured; external grievances were permitted.) The O'Keefe tradition did not have a set date, but would take place in response to family tension, "any time from December to May" (Salkin). The phrase "a Festivus for the rest of us" also derived from an O'Keefe family event, the death of the elder O'Keefe's mother. The holiday made it onto ''Seinfeld'' after the writing team was amused by O'Keefe's retelling.

			== Festivus practices and traditions ==
	The elder O'Keefe wrote the 1982 book ''Stolen Lightning: A Social Theory of Magic'' ISBN 0826400590; the work deals with idiosyncratic ritual and its social significance; a theme with obvious relevance to Festivus.

			The Festivus practices and traditions began as original O'Keefe family practices, and later expanded to include the traditions introduced in the 1997 ''Seinfeld'' episode "]".
	==Festivus-related trivia==

			===O'Keefe family practices (1966–1997)===
	* '''Festivus''' was the name of an ice cream flavor (mostly gingerbread flavoring) of ] ] in ]. Named after the fictitious holiday, the flavor has since been renamed "Gingerbread Cookie" due to threatened legal action.
			The O'Keefe family holiday featured other practices, as detailed in ''The Real Festivus'' (2005), a book by Daniel O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe.<ref name="real" /><ref name="Dan O">{{Cite web \|title=Dan O'Keefe \|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0641451 \|website=]}}</ref> Besides providing a first-person account of the early version of the Festivus holiday as celebrated by the O'Keefe family, the book relates how Dan O'Keefe amended or replaced details of his father's invention to create the ''Seinfeld'' episode.<ref name="Rome">{{Cite web \|title=Origins of Festivus \|url=http://festivusweb.com/origin-of-festivus.htm \|access-date=August 19, 2015 \|archive-date=January 4, 2007 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104235126/http://festivusweb.com/origin-of-festivus.htm \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

			==== Festivus clock ====
	* '''Festivus''' is also the name of a red wine produced by Grape Ranch Vineyards in Oklahoma.
			In a 2013 CNN segment on the origins of Festivus, O'Keefe spoke about the real-life experiences related to the holiday. O'Keefe's father, who originated some of the now-recognized Festivus traditions, used a ] in a bag nailed to a wall, not an aluminum pole. It was never the same bag, rarely the same clock, but always the same wall. The nailing was most often done in secret and then revealed proudly to his family. The younger O'Keefe told CNN: "The real symbol of the holiday was a clock that my dad put in a bag and nailed to the wall every year...I don't know why I don't know what it means, he would never tell me. He would always say, 'That's not for you to know.{{'"}}<ref name="The Origins of Festivus &#124" />

			===Fictional practices introduced due to the ''Seinfeld'' television episode (1997–onwards)===
	==External links==
			]]]
	*
			The holiday, as portrayed in the ''Seinfeld'' episode,<ref name="nytimes" /><ref>{{Cite news \|last=Ravitz \|first=Jessica \|title=Seinfeld' over, but Festivus keeps giving \|work=CNN.com \|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/23/festivus.holiday/index.html \|access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref> includes practices such as the "airing of grievances". During the Festivus meal, each person is given the chance to "air their grievances" by telling everyone else at the table all of the ways that they have disappointed the speaker during the past year. After the meal, the "feats of strength" are performed, involving ] the head of the household to the floor, with the holiday ending only if the head of the household is ].<ref name="script" />
	*
	*
	*
	* Get your grievance worksheet, feats of strength challenge card, and festivus cards for you to send to your friends
	* – '']'', December 19, 2004
	*
	* - blog entry by the author of the NYT article above
	* {{imdb title\|id=0098904\|title=Seinfeld}}
	]
	]
	]

	]		==== Festivus pole ====
			In the episode, the tradition of Festivus begins with an aluminum pole. Frank Costanza cites its "very high strength-to-weight ratio" as appealing. During Festivus, the pole is displayed unadorned, as Frank finds "tinsel distracting." Dan O'Keefe credits fellow ''Seinfeld'' writer ] with introducing the concept. The aluminum pole was not part of the original O'Keefe family celebration, which centered on putting a clock in a bag and nailing it to a wall.<ref name="The Origins of Festivus &#124">{{Cite web \|date=December 24, 2013 \|title=The Origins of Festivus \|url=http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/24/the-origins-of-festivus/ \|access-date=December 24, 2013 \|website=Cnn.com \|archive-date=March 25, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325001454/https://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/24/the-origins-of-festivus/ \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

			In 2021 the ''Seinfeld'' Twitter, YouTube and other social media accounts, along with the environmental organization One Tree Planted, tried to give a new environmental meaning to the pole, pledging to plant a tree for every person that posted a selfie with a pole using the hashtag #FestivusSavesTrees. Pointing out that using a Festivus pole instead of a Christmas tree saves a tree, they also said that for this purpose the pole would not have to be aluminum but could be any kind of pole of any size.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://fox59.com/news/whats-trending/festivus-2021-heres-what-to-know-about-the-holiday-for-the-rest-of-us/\|title=Festivus 2021: Here's what to know about the holiday 'for the rest of us'\|date=December 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Hope">{{Cite web\|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/22/health/festivus-seinfeld-wellness/index.html\|title = 'Seinfeld'{{'}}s Festivus is for everyone this year\|work=CNN\|first=Allison\|last=Hope\|date=December 22, 2021\|access-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://festivus.raisely.com/\|title=Festivus For The Rest Of Us\|website=Festivus.raisely.com\|access-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref>

			==== Festivus dinner ====
			In "The Strike", a celebratory dinner is shown on the evening of Festivus prior to the feats of strength and during the airing of grievances.<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Paluska\|first=John\|date=December 23, 2021\|title=When Is Festivus?\|url=https://www.thislifemag.com/2021/12/when-is-festivus.html\|access-date=December 23, 2021\|website=This Life Mag}}</ref> The on-air meal shows Estelle Costanza serving a sliced reddish meatloaf-shaped food on a bed of lettuce.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=December 18, 1997 \|title=Festivus Dinner \|url=http://festivusweb.com/festivus-dinner.htm \|access-date=August 19, 2015 \|website=Festivusweb.com \|archive-date=January 30, 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130194537/http://festivusweb.com/festivus-dinner.htm \|url-status=dead }}</ref> In the episode no alcohol is served at the dinner, but George's boss, Mr. Kruger, drinks something from a ].<ref name="script" />

			The original holiday dinner in the O'Keefe household featured turkey or ham as described in Dan O'Keefe's ''The Real Festivus''.<ref name="real">{{cite book \|last1=O'Keefe \|first1=Dan \|title=The Real Festivus' \|publisher=Perigee \|year=2005 \|isbn=978-0399532290 }}{{page?\|date=December 2022}}</ref>

			==== Airing of grievances <span class="anchor" id="grievances"></span> ====
			The "airing of grievances" takes place immediately after the Festivus dinner has been served. In the television episode, Frank Costanza began it with the phrase, "I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" It consists of each person given a chance to lash out at both their dinner companions and the world in general, and tell them how they've disappointed them during the past year.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=December 18, 1997 \|title=Happy Festivus \| A Festivus for the Rest of Us! \| Festivus Feats of Strength, Festivus Airing of Grievances, Festivus Pole \|url=http://www.festivusweb.com/ \|access-date=July 6, 2013 \|website=Festivusweb.com}}</ref> Some mental health professionals believe that having a space for people to air some of their grievances to their families and friends could actually be good for ], although it is something other holidays usually avoid.<ref name="Hope" />

			==== Feats of strength ====
			The "feats of strength" are the final tradition observed in the celebration of Festivus, celebrated immediately following (or in the case of "The Strike", during) the Festivus dinner.<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Paluska\|first=John\|date=2021\|title=When Is Festivus?\|url=https://www.thislifemag.com/2021/12/when-is-festivus.html\|access-date=December 24, 2021\|website=This Life Mag}}</ref> The head of the household selects one person at the Festivus celebration and challenges them to a ] match. Tradition states Festivus is not over until the head of the household has been ].<ref name="script" /> In "The Strike", however, Kramer manages to circumvent the rule by creating an excuse to leave. The feats of strength are mentioned twice in the episode before they take place. In both instances, no detail was given as to what had happened, but in both instances, George Costanza ran out of the ] in a mad panic, implying he had bad experiences with the feats of strength in the past. What the feats of strength entailed was revealed at the very end of the episode when it occurred.

			==== Festivus miracles ====
			Cosmo Kramer twice declares a "Festivus ]" during the Festivus celebration in the Costanza household. Kramer caused the two "miracles" himself, by inviting two off-track betting bookies (] and Colin Malone) to dinner with Elaine (men whom Elaine wished to avoid), and by causing Jerry's girlfriend Gwen to believe that Jerry is cheating on her.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Festivus Miracle \| Festivusweb.com \| Seinfeld Festivus \|url=http://www.festivusweb.com/festivus-miracle.htm \|access-date=July 6, 2013 \|website=Festivusweb.com \|archive-date=February 24, 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224084139/http://festivusweb.com/festivus-miracle.htm \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

			== Wider adoption ==
			Some people, many of them inspired by the ''Seinfeld'' episode,<ref name="nytimes" /> subsequently began to celebrate the holiday with varying degrees of seriousness. ]'s 2005 book ''Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us''<ref name="salkin" /> chronicles the early adoption of Festivus. Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut's 2012 book ''A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish''' references Festivus.<ref>{{cite book\| title= A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish\| first= Joshua Eli\| last= Plaut\| publisher= Rutgers University Press\| year= 2012\| isbn= 9780813553818\| pages= 5, 6, 137}}</ref> Martin Bodek's 2020 book ''The Festivus Haggadah''<ref name="Bodek">{{Cite book \|last= Bodek \|first=Martin \|title=The Festivus Haggadah \|year=2020 \|publisher=Lulu.com \|isbn=978-1678113650}}</ref> fuses ] with Festivus. Others have adopted Festivus as a way of engaging in a non-religious celebration over the traditional holiday season, such as by showcasing winter festivities.

			During the ]' run to the ] championship in ], head coach ] superstitiously issued an organizational ban on the use of the word "playoffs" until the team had clinched its first postseason berth.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Cowherd \|first=Kevin \|title=Suiting up for the big ballgame \|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-12-12-0012120137-story.html \|website=baltimoresun.com\|date=December 12, 2000 }}</ref> "]" was instead referred to as "Festivus" and the ] as "Festivus Maximus".<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/9-Forgotten-Super-Bowl-Facts/5C23B8A3-A1A8-4FDA-B71F-A5DCEAB59400\| last= Mink\| first= Ryan\|title=9 Forgotten Super Bowl Facts'. Baltimore Ravens\|date=February 1, 2010\|access-date=December 23, 2015 \|archive-date= April 25, 2018\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425000644/http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/9-Forgotten-Super-Bowl-Facts/5C23B8A3-A1A8-4FDA-B71F-A5DCEAB59400\|url-status=dead}}</ref>

			In 2005, ] governor ] was declared "Governor Festivus", and during the holiday season displayed a Festivus pole in the family room of the Executive Residence in ].<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Gov. Festivus! \|url=http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2005/12/23/0512230446.php \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105104611/http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=%2Ftct%2F2005%2F12%2F23%2F0512230446.php \|archive-date=January 5, 2007 \|access-date=December 25, 2006 \|website=madison.com }}</ref> Doyle's 2005 Festivus pole is now part of the collection of the ].<ref>{{Cite web \|date=October 19, 2012 \|title=Governor Doyle's Festivus Pole \|url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=Ny:True,Ro:0,N:4294963828-4294963805&dsRecordDetails=R:CS2659 \|website= wisconsinhistory.org\| publisher= ] \|access-date=December 21, 2014}}</ref>

			In 2010, a ] story featuring ] detailed the increasing popularity of the holiday, including US Representative ]'s Festivus fundraiser.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=December 23, 2010 \|title=Festivus for the rest of Us! Jerry Stiller on Fake holiday's real popularity \|website= CNN.com \|url= http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/12/23/exp.am.stiller.festivus.cnn?hpt=C2 \|access-date=December 23, 2010}}</ref> The '']'' reported that Festivus was a top trend on Twitter that year.<ref>{{Cite journal \|date=December 23, 2010 \|title=Festivus becomes worldwide holiday. Break out the Festivus pole! \|url= http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/1223/Festivus-becomes-worldwide-holiday.-Break-out-the-Festivus-pole%21-video \|journal=Christian Science Monitor \|access-date= December 23, 2010}}</ref> In 2012, Google introduced a custom search result for the term "Festivus". In addition to the normal results, an unadorned aluminum pole was displayed running down the side of the list of search results and "A festivus miracle!" prefixed the results count and speed.<ref>{{cite news\| last= Cutts\| first= Matt\| date= December 10, 2012\| url= https://plus.google.com/+MattCutts/posts/1p3CBpHvNJw \|title= It's a Festivus miracle when you go to Google and search...\| work= ]\| access-date= December 23, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|date=December 12, 2012 \|title=Festivus: The Google Easter egg for the rest of us \|work=] \|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/festivus-google-easter-egg-2012 \|access-date=December 13, 2012}}</ref> Also in 2012, a Festivus Pole was erected on city property in ], alongside religious-themed holiday displays.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last=Funcheon \|first=Deirdra \|date=December 6, 2013 \|title='Festivus Pole' Made of Beer Cans Approved; Will Go Up in Florida Capitol Next to Jesus' Manger\|url=http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2013/12/festivus_pole_made_of_beer_can.php \|access-date=July 20, 2014 \|website= blogs.browardpalmbeach.com; Broward Palm Beach New Times \|archive-date=December 10, 2013 \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131210062844/http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2013/12/festivus_pole_made_of_beer_can.php \|url-status=dead }}</ref> A similar Festivus pole was displayed next to religious displays in the ], along with a banner provided by the ] advocating for the separation of government and religion.<ref name="Farrington">{{Cite news \|last=Farrington \|first=Brendan \|date=December 11, 2013 \|title=Festivus for the Rest Of Us! Florida Atheist Successfully Puts Up Beer Can Pole Display \|work=Huffington Post \|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/11/festivus-florida-pole_n_4427828.html \|url-status=dead \|access-date=December 24, 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224100350/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/11/festivus-florida-pole_n_4427828.html \|archive-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref> In 2013 and 2014, ] erected a Festivus pole constructed with {{cvt\|6\|ft}} of ]s next to a ] and other religious holiday displays in the ] Building, as a protest supporting ].<ref name="Farrington" /> In 2015, the same man was granted permission to display a Festivus pole decorated with a ] theme and topped with a ] to celebrate the United States Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage, at state capitols in Florida,<ref>{{Cite web \|date=December 23, 2015 \|title=Festivus pole hoisted in Florida Capitol once again \|url=http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/60908334-story \|access-date=December 23, 2015 \|website=Fox35orlando.com\| publisher= ] \|archive-date=December 24, 2015 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224052717/http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/60908334-story \|url-status=dead }}</ref> Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Washington.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=December 23, 2015 \|title=Religious Activist Puts Up Gay Pride Festivus Poles at State Capitals \|url=http://www.newsy.com/videos/religious-activist-puts-up-gay-pride-festivus-poles-at-state-capitals/ \|access-date=December 25, 2015 \|website= ] \|quote=A Florida man used the made-up holiday of Festivus to make a point about the separation of church and state by putting up "gay pride Festivus poles".}}</ref>

			In 2016, US Senator ] released a special Festivus edition of ''The Waste Report''.<ref>{{Cite press release \|last=Paul \|first=Rand \|date=December 17, 2012 \|title= U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky \|url=https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/press/dr-rand-paul-airs-spending-grievances-with-special-festivus-edition-of-the-waste-report \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111234243/https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/press/dr-rand-paul-airs-spending-grievances-with-special-festivus-edition-of-the-waste-report \|archive-date=January 11, 2017 \|access-date=January 3, 2017 \|website=Paul.senate.gov}}</ref> The Festivus "airing of grievances" has become an annual tradition for Paul on Twitter.<ref>{{cite news\| last= Le Miere\| first= Jason \|date= December 23, 2018\| url= https://www.newsweek.com/rand-paul-festivus-grievances-trump-war-1269915 \|title= Rand Paul Festivus Grievances Target Foreign Policy Establishment: 'You Hate the President, Love War.'\| work= ].com \|access-date= January 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\| last= Rosza\| first= Matthew \|date= December 23, 2018\| url= https://www.salon.com/2018/12/23/sen-rand-paul-airs-his-festivus-grievances-and-then-honors-bipartisanship/ \|title= Sen. Rand Paul Airs His Festivus Grievances – and Then Honors Bipartisanship \|website= ]\| access-date= January 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\| last= Gass\| first= Nick \|date= December 23, 2015\| url= https://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/rand-paul-festivus-2015-217096 \|title= Rand Paul Airs Festivus Grievances\| website= ] \| access-date= January 29, 2019}}</ref> In 2016, the '']'' became the first newspaper to allow anyone to submit Festivus grievances through its website, with the promise to publish them on December 23, the day of the Festivus holiday.<ref>{{Cite news\|date=December 20, 2016 \|title=Festivus 2016: Submit your grievances here \|url= https://www.tampabay.com/features/popculture/festivus-2016-air-your-grievances-here/2306908/ \|access-date=December 20, 2016 \|newspaper=]}}</ref> The ''Times'' continues to solicit and publish grievances from around the world annually.<ref>{{Cite news\|date=November 29, 2023 \|title=Festivus: Share your complaints and grievances for 2023 \|url= https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/2023/11/29/festivus-2023-when-date-meme-gif-airing-of-grievances/ \|access-date=November 29, 2023 \|newspaper=]}}</ref> An annual public Festivus celebration has been held in Pittsburgh since 2005, featuring live bands, a ''Seinfeld'' trivia contest, and holiday traditions. In 2017, the '']'' called its 13th iteration "the longest-running celebration of Sein-Culture in the 'Burgh".<ref>{{Cite news\|date=December 20, 2017 \|title=Critics' Pick: Festivus 13 at Howlers \|url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/critics-pick-festivus-13-at-howlers/Content?oid=5871130 \|access-date=January 6, 2019 \|newspaper=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/festivus-seinfeld-anti-christmas-celebration-090115495.html\|title=Festivus: How Seinfeld's anti-Christmas celebration of grievance airing became a cult phenomenon\|website=Uk.news.yahoo.com\|date=December 24, 2021 \|access-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref>
			In 2018, ] City Council (], Australia) named a lane "Festivus Lane" in the suburb of Corrimal. The name was chosen as the celebration of Festivus started by locals grew to become a local annual fixture.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=August 8, 2018 \|title=Wollongong council's plan for a little slice of Seinfeld in Corrimal \|url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5570499/wollongong-councils-plan-for-a-little-slice-of-seinfeld-in-corrimal/ \|website=Illawarramercury.com.au\|access-date=August 8, 2018}}</ref>

			In 2021, ] world heavyweight wrestling Champion ] started wearing custom-designed ] on-air adorned with catchphrases and images of ''Seinfeld''{{'}}s version of Festivus.

			== Attempts at national recognition ==
			In 2022, the official ''Seinfeld'' social media accounts created a petition on the website ] to make Festivus a ] on December 23, and encouraged the use of the hashtag #MakeFestivusOfficial. The video promoting the petition notes that Festivus is as worthy of recognition as other unofficial national holidays, such as National Bagel Day, ], and Hug a Musician Day.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/seinfeld-starts-petition-to-make-festivus-a-national-holiday/3107323/ \| title='Seinfeld' Starts Petition to Make Festivus a National Holiday \| date=December 16, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet \|author=Seinfeld \|author-link=Seinfeld \|user=SeinfeldTV \|number=1603797106543587329 \|date=December 16, 2022 \|title=We're doing it! We've launched a petition to make Festivus a national holiday. It's time to honor Frank Costanza's legacy. It's time to #MakeFestivusOfficial! Join the cause. https://t.co/YwTnVpY7xj \|language=en \|access-date=December 20, 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219180716/https://twitter.com/SeinfeldTV/status/1603797106543587329 \|archive-date=December 19, 2022 \|url-status=live}}</ref>

			==See also==
			* {{annotated link\|Buy Nothing Day}}
			* {{annotated link\|Winterval}}
			* ] – December 25th tradition of drunken holiday combat resolving open grievances, from the ], near ], Peru

			== References ==
			{{Reflist\|30em}}

			{{Seinfeld}}
			{{US Holidays}}

			{{authority control}}

			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]

Latest revision as of 00:34, 24 December 2024

Secular holiday celebrated December 23 This article is about the December observance. For other uses, see Festivus (disambiguation).

Festivus
Festivus pole
Type	Secular
Significance	Celebrated as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas holiday season
Celebrations	Airing of grievances, feats of strength, the aluminum pole, Festivus dinner, Festivus miracles
Date	December 23
Frequency	Annual

Festivus (/ˈfɛstɪvəs/) is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the perceived pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike", which O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe, co-wrote.

The non-commercial holiday's celebration, as depicted on Seinfeld, occurs on December 23 and includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum Festivus pole, practices such as the "airing of grievances" and "feats of strength", and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles". The episode refers to it as "a Festivus for the rest of us".

It has been described both as a parody holiday festival and as a form of playful consumer resistance. Journalist Allen Salkin describes it as "the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering".

History

Festivus was conceived by author and editor Daniel O'Keefe, the father of television writer Dan O'Keefe, and was celebrated by his family as early as 1966. While the Latin word fēstīvus means "excellent, jovial, lively", and derives from fēstus, meaning "joyous; holiday, feast day", Festivus in this sense was coined by the elder O'Keefe. According to him, the name "just popped into my head". In the original O'Keefe tradition, the holiday would take place to celebrate the anniversary of Daniel O'Keefe's first date with his future wife, Deborah. The phrase "a Festivus for the rest of us" originally referred to those remaining after the death of the elder O'Keefe's mother, Jeanette, in 1976; i.e., the "rest of us" are the living, as opposed to the dead.

In 1982, Daniel O'Keefe wrote a book, Stolen Lightning: The Social Theory of Magic, that deals with idiosyncratic ritual and its social significance, a theme relevant to Festivus tradition.

It is now celebrated on December 23, as depicted in the Seinfeld episode written by the younger O'Keefe.

Seinfeld

The Seinfeld episode that featured Festivus was titled "The Strike", although O'Keefe notes that the writers later wished they had named it "The Festivus". It was first broadcast on December 18, 1997. The plot revolves around Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) returning to work at his old job, H&H Bagels. While dining at Monk's Restaurant, as George Costanza (Jason Alexander) is opening his mail, he receives a card from his father saying, "Dear Son, Happy Festivus." This leads to Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) discussing George's father's creation of Festivus despite George not wanting it to be discussed. Kramer then becomes interested in resurrecting the holiday when, at the bagel shop, Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) tells him how he created Festivus as an alternative holiday in response to the commercialization of Christmas.

Meanwhile, George creates donation cards for a fake charity called The Human Fund (with the slogan "Money for People") in lieu of having to give office Christmas presents. When his boss, Mr. Kruger (Daniel von Bargen), questions George about a $20,000 check he gave George to donate to the Human Fund as a corporate donation, George hastily concocts the excuse that he made up the Human Fund because he feared persecution for his beliefs, of celebrating Festivus instead of Christmas. Attempting to call his bluff, Kruger goes home with George to see Festivus in action.

Kramer eventually goes back on strike from his bagel-vendor job when his manager tells him he cannot take December 23 off to celebrate his newfound holiday. Kramer is then seen on the sidewalk picketing H&H Bagels, carrying a sign reading "Festivus yes! Bagels no!" and chanting to anyone passing the store: "Hey! No bagel, no bagel, no bagel..."

Finally, at Frank's house in Queens, New York, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George gather to celebrate Festivus. George brings Kruger to prove to him that Festivus is "all too real".

O'Keefe was initially reluctant to insert his family's tradition into this episode, but when executive producers Alec Berg and Jeff Schaffer learned of the bizarre holiday through O'Keefe's brother, they became curious, then enthusiastic, then insisted that it be included in the episode. Schaffer later reflected: "That's the thing with Seinfeld stories, the real ones are always the best ones. There's a nuance to reality sometimes that is just perfect. We could have sat in a room for a billion years and we never would have made up Festivus. It's crazy and hilarious and just so funny and so disturbing. It's awesome."

Festivus practices and traditions

The Festivus practices and traditions began as original O'Keefe family practices, and later expanded to include the traditions introduced in the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike".

O'Keefe family practices (1966–1997)

The O'Keefe family holiday featured other practices, as detailed in The Real Festivus (2005), a book by Daniel O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe. Besides providing a first-person account of the early version of the Festivus holiday as celebrated by the O'Keefe family, the book relates how Dan O'Keefe amended or replaced details of his father's invention to create the Seinfeld episode.

Festivus clock

In a 2013 CNN segment on the origins of Festivus, O'Keefe spoke about the real-life experiences related to the holiday. O'Keefe's father, who originated some of the now-recognized Festivus traditions, used a clock in a bag nailed to a wall, not an aluminum pole. It was never the same bag, rarely the same clock, but always the same wall. The nailing was most often done in secret and then revealed proudly to his family. The younger O'Keefe told CNN: "The real symbol of the holiday was a clock that my dad put in a bag and nailed to the wall every year...I don't know why I don't know what it means, he would never tell me. He would always say, 'That's not for you to know.'"

Fictional practices introduced due to the Seinfeld television episode (1997–onwards)

The holiday, as portrayed in the Seinfeld episode, includes practices such as the "airing of grievances". During the Festivus meal, each person is given the chance to "air their grievances" by telling everyone else at the table all of the ways that they have disappointed the speaker during 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 episode, the tradition of Festivus begins with an aluminum pole. Frank Costanza cites its "very high strength-to-weight ratio" as appealing. During Festivus, the pole is displayed unadorned, as Frank finds "tinsel distracting." Dan O'Keefe credits fellow Seinfeld writer Jeff Schaffer with introducing the concept. The aluminum pole was not part of the original O'Keefe family celebration, which centered on putting a clock in a bag and nailing it to a wall.

In 2021 the Seinfeld Twitter, YouTube and other social media accounts, along with the environmental organization One Tree Planted, tried to give a new environmental meaning to the pole, pledging to plant a tree for every person that posted a selfie with a pole using the hashtag #FestivusSavesTrees. Pointing out that using a Festivus pole instead of a Christmas tree saves a tree, they also said that for this purpose the pole would not have to be aluminum but could be any kind of pole of any size.

Festivus dinner

In "The Strike", a celebratory dinner is shown on the evening of Festivus prior to the feats of strength and during the airing of grievances. The on-air meal shows Estelle Costanza serving a sliced reddish meatloaf-shaped food on a bed of lettuce. In the episode no alcohol is served at the dinner, but George's boss, Mr. Kruger, drinks something from a hip flask.

The original holiday dinner in the O'Keefe household featured turkey or ham as described in Dan O'Keefe's The Real Festivus.

Airing of grievances

The "airing of grievances" takes place immediately after the Festivus dinner has been served. In the television episode, Frank Costanza began it with the phrase, "I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" It consists of each person given a chance to lash out at both their dinner companions and the world in general, and tell them how they've disappointed them during the past year. Some mental health professionals believe that having a space for people to air some of their grievances to their families and friends could actually be good for mental health, although it is something other holidays usually avoid.

Feats of strength

The "feats of strength" are the final tradition observed in the celebration of Festivus, celebrated immediately following (or in the case of "The Strike", 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 has been pinned. In "The Strike", however, Kramer manages to circumvent the rule by creating an excuse to leave. The feats of strength are mentioned twice in the episode before they take place. In both instances, no detail was given as to what had happened, but in both instances, George Costanza ran out of the coffee shop in a mad panic, implying he had bad experiences with the feats of strength in the past. What the feats of strength entailed was revealed at the very end of the episode when it occurred.

Festivus miracles

Cosmo Kramer twice declares a "Festivus miracle" during the Festivus celebration in the Costanza household. Kramer caused the two "miracles" himself, by inviting two off-track betting bookies (Tracy Letts and Colin Malone) to dinner with Elaine (men whom Elaine wished to avoid), and by causing Jerry's girlfriend Gwen to believe that Jerry is cheating on her.

Wider adoption

Some people, many of them inspired by the Seinfeld episode, subsequently began to celebrate the holiday with varying degrees of seriousness. Allen Salkin's 2005 book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us chronicles the early adoption of Festivus. Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut's 2012 book A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish' references Festivus. Martin Bodek's 2020 book The Festivus Haggadah fuses Passover with Festivus. Others have adopted Festivus as a way of engaging in a non-religious celebration over the traditional holiday season, such as by showcasing winter festivities.

During the Baltimore Ravens' run to the Super Bowl XXXV championship in 2000, head coach Brian Billick superstitiously issued an organizational ban on the use of the word "playoffs" until the team had clinched its first postseason berth. "Playoffs" was instead referred to as "Festivus" and the Super Bowl as "Festivus Maximus".

In 2005, Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle was declared "Governor Festivus", and during the holiday season displayed a Festivus pole in the family room of the Executive Residence in Madison, Wisconsin. Doyle's 2005 Festivus pole is now part of the collection of the Wisconsin Historical Museum.

In 2010, a CNN story featuring Jerry Stiller detailed the increasing popularity of the holiday, including US Representative Eric Cantor's Festivus fundraiser. The Christian Science Monitor reported that Festivus was a top trend on Twitter that year. In 2012, Google introduced a custom search result for the term "Festivus". In addition to the normal results, an unadorned aluminum pole was displayed running down the side of the list of search results and "A festivus miracle!" prefixed the results count and speed. Also in 2012, a Festivus Pole was erected on city property in Deerfield Beach, Florida, alongside religious-themed holiday displays. A similar Festivus pole was displayed next to religious displays in the Wisconsin State Capitol, along with a banner provided by the Freedom From Religion Foundation advocating for the separation of government and religion. In 2013 and 2014, Chaz Stevens erected a Festivus pole constructed with 6 ft (1.8 m) of beer cans next to a nativity scene and other religious holiday displays in the Florida State Capitol Building, as a protest supporting separation of church and state. In 2015, the same man was granted permission to display a Festivus pole decorated with a gay pride theme and topped with a disco ball to celebrate the United States Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage, at state capitols in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Washington.

In 2016, US Senator Rand Paul released a special Festivus edition of The Waste Report. The Festivus "airing of grievances" has become an annual tradition for Paul on Twitter. In 2016, the Tampa Bay Times became the first newspaper to allow anyone to submit Festivus grievances through its website, with the promise to publish them on December 23, the day of the Festivus holiday. The Times continues to solicit and publish grievances from around the world annually. An annual public Festivus celebration has been held in Pittsburgh since 2005, featuring live bands, a Seinfeld trivia contest, and holiday traditions. In 2017, the Pittsburgh City Paper called its 13th iteration "the longest-running celebration of Sein-Culture in the 'Burgh". In 2018, Wollongong City Council (New South Wales, Australia) named a lane "Festivus Lane" in the suburb of Corrimal. The name was chosen as the celebration of Festivus started by locals grew to become a local annual fixture.

In 2021, WWE world heavyweight wrestling Champion Big E started wearing custom-designed singlets on-air adorned with catchphrases and images of Seinfeld's version of Festivus.

Attempts at national recognition

In 2022, the official Seinfeld social media accounts created a petition on the website change.org to make Festivus a national holiday on December 23, and encouraged the use of the hashtag #MakeFestivusOfficial. The video promoting the petition notes that Festivus is as worthy of recognition as other unofficial national holidays, such as National Bagel Day, Boss's Day, and Hug a Musician Day.

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^ O'Keefe, Dan (2005). The Real Festivus'. Perigee. ISBN 978-0399532290.
O'Keefe, Dan (December 21, 2009). "Festivus". Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 22, 2015.
O'Keefe, Daniel Lawrence (1982). Stolen Lightning : The Social Theory of Magic. New York: Continuum. ISBN 978-0826400598.
"Stop Crying And Fight Your Father: Seinfeld Writers Tell How Festivus Came To Be". UPROXX. December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
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^ "The Origins of Festivus". Cnn.com. December 24, 2013. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
Ravitz, Jessica. "Seinfeld' over, but Festivus keeps giving". CNN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
"Festivus 2021: Here's what to know about the holiday 'for the rest of us'". December 23, 2021.
^ Hope, Allison (December 22, 2021). "'Seinfeld''s Festivus is for everyone this year". CNN. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
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Paluska, John (December 23, 2021). "When Is Festivus?". This Life Mag. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
"Festivus Dinner". Festivusweb.com. December 18, 1997. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
"Happy Festivus | A Festivus for the Rest of Us! | Festivus Feats of Strength, Festivus Airing of Grievances, Festivus Pole". Festivusweb.com. December 18, 1997. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
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Plaut, Joshua Eli (2012). A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish. Rutgers University Press. pp. 5, 6, 137. ISBN 9780813553818.
Bodek, Martin (2020). The Festivus Haggadah. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1678113650.
Cowherd, Kevin (December 12, 2000). "Suiting up for the big ballgame". baltimoresun.com.
Mink, Ryan (February 1, 2010). "9 Forgotten Super Bowl Facts'. Baltimore Ravens". Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
"Gov. Festivus!". madison.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2007. Retrieved December 25, 2006.
"Governor Doyle's Festivus Pole". wisconsinhistory.org. Wisconsin Historical Society. October 19, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
"Festivus for the rest of Us! Jerry Stiller on Fake holiday's real popularity". CNN.com. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
"Festivus becomes worldwide holiday. Break out the Festivus pole!". Christian Science Monitor. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
Cutts, Matt (December 10, 2012). "It's a Festivus miracle when you go to Google and search..." Google+. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
"Festivus: The Google Easter egg for the rest of us". National Post. December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
Funcheon, Deirdra (December 6, 2013). "'Festivus Pole' Made of Beer Cans Approved; Will Go Up in Florida Capitol Next to Jesus' Manger". blogs.browardpalmbeach.com; Broward Palm Beach New Times. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
^ Farrington, Brendan (December 11, 2013). "Festivus for the Rest Of Us! Florida Atheist Successfully Puts Up Beer Can Pole Display". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
"Festivus pole hoisted in Florida Capitol once again". Fox35orlando.com. WOFL. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
"Religious Activist Puts Up Gay Pride Festivus Poles at State Capitals". Newsy.com. December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015. A Florida man used the made-up holiday of Festivus to make a point about the separation of church and state by putting up "gay pride Festivus poles".
Paul, Rand (December 17, 2012). "U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky". Paul.senate.gov (Press release). Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
Le Miere, Jason (December 23, 2018). "Rand Paul Festivus Grievances Target Foreign Policy Establishment: 'You Hate the President, Love War.'". Newsweek.com. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
Rosza, Matthew (December 23, 2018). "Sen. Rand Paul Airs His Festivus Grievances – and Then Honors Bipartisanship". Salon.com. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
Gass, Nick (December 23, 2015). "Rand Paul Airs Festivus Grievances". Politico.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
"Festivus 2016: Submit your grievances here". Tampa Bay Times. December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
"Festivus: Share your complaints and grievances for 2023". Tampa Bay Times. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
"Critics' Pick: Festivus 13 at Howlers". Pittsburgh City Paper. December 20, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
"Festivus: How Seinfeld's anti-Christmas celebration of grievance airing became a cult phenomenon". Uk.news.yahoo.com. December 24, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
"Wollongong council's plan for a little slice of Seinfeld in Corrimal". Illawarramercury.com.au. August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
"'Seinfeld' Starts Petition to Make Festivus a National Holiday". December 16, 2022.
Seinfeld (December 16, 2022). "We're doing it! We've launched a petition to make Festivus a national holiday. It's time to honor Frank Costanza's legacy. It's time to #MakeFestivusOfficial! Join the cause. https://t.co/YwTnVpY7xj" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022 – via Twitter.

v t e Seinfeld
Episodes	Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6 Season 7 Season 8 Season 9
Characters	Jerry Seinfeld George Costanza Elaine Benes Cosmo Kramer Newman Uncle Leo Jackie Chiles
Related	Awards and nominations Monk's Café Festivus Kenny Kramer The Original Soupman "Seinfeld" (Curb Your Enthusiasm) "SeinfeldVision" (30 Rock) Castle Rock Entertainment, Inc. v. Carol Publishing Group Inc. The Album About Nothing Nothing, Forever
Category

v t e Holidays, observances, and celebrations in the United States
January	New Year's Day (federal) Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (federal) Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos (PR) Confederate Heroes Day (TX) Eve of Three Kings' Day (PR, religious) Feast of Epiphany / Feast of Theophany (religious) Fred Korematsu Day (AZ, CA, FL, HI, VA) Idaho Human Rights Day (ID) Inauguration Day (federal quadrennial) Kansas Day (KS) Makar Sankranti / Pongal (religious) Robert E. Lee Day (FL) Stephen Foster Memorial Day (36) The Eighth (LA) Three Kings' Day (PR, VI, religious) World Religion Day (religious)
January–February	Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year (NY, cultural, religious) Super Bowl Sunday Vasant Panchami (religious)
February American Heart Month Black History Month	Washington's Birthday (federal) Valentine's Day Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín (PR) Candlemas (religious) Charles Darwin Day / Darwin Day (CA, DE) Day of Remembrance (CA, OR, WA, cultural) Georgia Day (GA) Groundhog Day Imbolc (religious) Lincoln's Birthday (CA, CT, IL, IN, MO, NY, WV) National Girls and Women in Sports Day National Freedom Day (36) Nirvana Day (religious) Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple (religious) Promised Reformer Day (religious) Ronald Reagan Day (CA) Rosa Parks Day (CA, MO) Saviours' Day (religious) Susan B. Anthony Day (CA, FL, NY, WI, WV, proposed federal) Tu B’shvat (religious)
February–March	Mardi Gras Ash Wednesday (PR, religious) Carnival (PR, VI, religious) Clean Monday (religious) Courir de Mardi Gras (religious) Intercalary Days (religious) Mahashivaratri (religious) Purim (religious) Shrove Tuesday (religious) Super Tuesday
March Irish-American Heritage Month Colon Cancer Awareness Month Women's History Month	Saint Patrick's Day (religious) Spring break (week) Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos (religious) Casimir Pulaski Day (IL) Cesar Chavez Day (CA, CO, TX, proposed federal) Emancipation Day in Puerto Rico (PR, cultural) Evacuation Day (Suffolk County, MA) Harriet Tubman Day (NY) Hola Mohalla (religious) Holi (NY, religious) L. Ron Hubbard's Birthday (religious) Lailat al-Mi'raj (religious) Liberation and Freedom Day (Charlottesville, VA, cultural) Mardi Gras (AL (in two counties), LA) Maryland Day (MD) Medal of Honor Day National Poison Prevention Week (week) Nowruz (cultural, religious) Ostara (religious) Pi Day Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Day (HI) Promised Messiah Day (religious) Saint Joseph's Day (religious) Seward's Day (AK) Texas Independence Day (TX) Town Meeting Day (VT) Transfer Day (VI) Trans Day of Visibility (cultural)
March–April	Easter (religious) Good Friday (CT, NC, PR, NJ, VI, religious) Hanuman Jayanti (religious) Holy Thursday (PR, VI, religious) Holy Week (PR, religious, week) Lazarus Saturday (religious) Mahavir Janma Kalyanak (religious) Mesha Sankranti / Hindu New Year (religious) Palm Sunday (PR, religious) Passover (religious, week) Easter Monday / Bright Monday (VI, religious) Ramnavami (religious) Chandramana Uugadi / Souramana Uugadi (religious)
April Arab American Heritage Month Confederate History Month	420 April Fools' Day Arbor Day Birthday of José de Diego (PR) Confederate Memorial Day (AL, MS) Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust (week) Earth Day Emancipation Day (cultural) Thomas Jefferson's Birthday (AL) Lag B’Omer (religious) Last Friday of Great Lent (religious) Pascua Florida (FL) Patriots' Day (MA, ME) Ridván (religious) San Jacinto Day (TX) Siblings Day Walpurgis Night (religious) Yom Ha'atzmaut (cultural, religious)
May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Jewish American Heritage Month Military Appreciation Month	Memorial Day (federal) Mother's Day (36) Cinco de Mayo Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh (religious) Ascension of Our Lord (religious) Caliphate Day (religious) Declaration of the Bab (religious) Harvey Milk Day (CA) International Workers' Day / May Day (CA, unofficial, proposed state) Law Day (36) Loyalty Day (36) Malcolm X Day (CA, IL, proposed federal) Military Spouse Day National Day of Prayer (36) National Day of Reason National Defense Transportation Day (36) National Maritime Day (36) Peace Officers Memorial Day (36) Pentecost (religious) Shavuot (religious) Truman Day (MO) Vesak / Buddha's Birthday (religious)
June Pride Month	Juneteenth (federal, cultural) Father's Day (36) Bunker Hill Day (Suffolk County, MA) Carolina Day (SC) Don Young Day (AK) Fast of the Holy Apostles (religious) Flag Day (36, proposed federal) Helen Keller Day (PA) Honor America Days (3 weeks) Jefferson Davis Day (AL, FL) Kamehameha Day (HI) Litha (religious) Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (religious) Odunde Festival (Philadelphia, PA, cultural) Senior Week (week) Saint John's Day (PR, religious) West Virginia Day (WV)
July	Independence Day (federal) Asalha Puja Day (religious) Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (PR) Birthday of Dr. José Celso Barbosa (PR) Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands (VI, cultural) Guru Purnima (religious) Khordad Sal (religious) Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (HI, unofficial, cultural) Martyrdom of the Báb (religious) Parents' Day (36) Pioneer Day (UT) Puerto Rico Constitution Day (PR)
July–August	Summer vacation Tisha B'Av (religious)
August	American Family Day (AZ) Barack Obama Day in Illinois (IL) Bennington Battle Day (VT) Dormition of the Theotokos (religious) Eid-e-Ghadeer (religious) Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus (religious) Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (religious) Hawaii Admission Day / Statehood Day (HI) Krishna Janmashtami (religious) Lammas (religious) Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (TX) Naga Panchami (religious) National Aviation Day (36) Paryushana (religious) Raksha Bandhan (religious) Transfiguration of the Lord (religious) Victory Day (RI) Women's Equality Day (36)
September Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Gospel Music Heritage Month	Labor Day (federal) Brazilian Day (NY, cultural) California Admission Day (CA) Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (36) Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (36) Constitution Week Defenders Day (MD) Elevation of the Holy Cross (religious) Feast of San Gennaro (NY, cultural, religious) Ganesh Chaturthi (religious) Gold Star Mother's Day (36) His Holiness Sakya Trizin's Birthday (religious) Mabon (religious) National Grandparents Day (36) National Payroll Week (week) Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos (religious) Native American Day (proposed federal) Patriot Day (36) Von Steuben Day
September–October Hispanic Heritage Month	Chehlum Imam Hussain (religious) Oktoberfest Pitri Paksha (religious) Rosh Hashanah / Feast of Trumpets (TX, NY, religious) Shemini Atzeret (religious) Simchat Torah (religious) Vijaya Dashami (religious) Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement (TX, NY, religious)
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month Disability Employment Awareness Month Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month Filipino American History Month LGBT History Month	Columbus Day (federal) Halloween Alaska Day (AK) Child Health Day (36) General Pulaski Memorial Day German-American Day Indigenous Peoples' Day International Day of Non-Violence Leif Erikson Day (36) Missouri Day (MO) Nanomonestotse (cultural) National School Lunch Week (week) Native American Day in South Dakota (SD) Nevada Day (NV) Spirit Day (cultural) Sweetest Day Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles (religious, week) Virgin Islands–Puerto Rico Friendship Day (PR, VI) White Cane Safety Day (36)
October–November	Birth of the Báb (religious) Birth of Baháʼu'lláh (religious) Day of the Dead (VI) Diwali (NY, religious) Mawlid al-Nabi (religious)
November Native American Indian Heritage Month	Veterans Day (federal) Thanksgiving (federal) Ascension of ‘Abdu’l Baha (religious) All Saints' Day (religious) Beginning of the Nativity Fast (religious) Beltane / Samhain (religious) Barack Obama Day in Alabama (Perry County, AL) D. Hamilton Jackson Day (VI) Day after Thanksgiving (24) Day of the Covenant (religious) Discovery of Puerto Rico Day (PR) Election Day (CA, DE, HI, KY, MT, NJ, NY, OH, PR, VA, WV, proposed federal) Family Day (NV) Friendsgiving Guru Nanak Gurpurab (religious) Hanukkah (religious) Lā Kūʻokoʻa (HI, unofficial, cultural) Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (religious) Native American Heritage Day (MD, WA, cultural) Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (religious) Trans Day of Remembrance (cultural) Unthanksgiving Day (cultural)
December	Christmas (religious, federal) New Year's Eve Advent Sunday (religious) Alabama Day (AL) Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (religious) Bodhi Day (religious) Chalica (religious) Christmas Eve (KY, NC, SC, PR, VI) Day after Christmas (KY, NC, SC, TX, VI) Festivus HumanLight Hanukkah (religious, week) Immaculate Conception (religious) Indiana Day (IN) Kwanzaa (cultural, week) Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (religious) National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (36) Nativity of Jesus (religious) Old Year's Night (VI) Pan American Aviation Day (36) Pancha Ganapati (religious, week) Rosa Parks Day (OH, OR) Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (religious) Wright Brothers Day (36) Yule (religious) Zartosht No-Diso (religious)
Varies (year round)	Eid al-Adha (NY, religious) Eid al-Fitr (NY, religious) Islamic New Year (religious) Yawm al-Arafa (religious) Hajj (religious) Laylat al-Qadr (religious) Navaratri (religious, four times a year) Obon (religious) Onam (religious) Ramadan (religious, month) Ghost Festival (religious) Yawm Aashura (religious)
Legend: (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies See also: Lists of holidays, Hallmark holidays, Public holidays in the United States, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

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