Forget Christmas, it's all about Festivus these days.
But what is Festivus? When is Festivus?
On December 23rd, people around the world are standing up against Christmas and having a "Festivus for the rest of us"— a new holiday created by Frank Costanza on Seinfeld in 1997. The whole holiday originated when Frank had a dispute with a fellow shopper over a Christmas toy. In the ruckus, the toy was destroyed and Frank had an epiphany that there had to be a better way— the result was a Festivus for the rest of us.
Celebrating Festivus is a fairly loose event, though there are a few key aspects that no celebration should be without: A dislike of the typical aspects of the holidays, a traditional Festivus pole, an Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength. [via ArtVandelay]
If you have no idea what's going on here, you better watch the videos below for a crash course on celebrating Festivus 2010. And don't worry about getting the right gear for Festivus— there's actual Festivus poles and such for this new Anti-Christmas holiday!
Have a Happy Festivus!
How to Celebrate Festivus
Did you know that Festivus actually first appeared in Ancient Rome, not on Seinfeld? Check out this introduction video on Festivus to learn more, then scroll down to the other videos for the details on each part of this bizarre holiday celebration.
The Festivus Pole and Traditions
Forget that flammable Christmas tree— all you need is the Festivus pole, an ordinary aluminum pole standing straight up. It's need no decorations, but you can always add a few if you'd like. There is an exception though— NO TINSEL!
The Airing of Grievances
It's exactly as it sounds. Get rid of all that pent up frustration with your family and friends and tell them how you really feel. Gather your friends, enemies, family, in-laws and loved ones to inform them of all the ways in which they have disappointed you in the past year. Remember, this is the one time you can actually vent your disgruntlement to everyone, so make sure you get it all out!
The Feats of Strength
No, this is not the opposite of the Airing of Grievances, where you talk about everyone's strengths from the past year. This is where things get physical, where the celebration doesn't end until the Festivus host is pinned down in a wrestling match. It's the best part of Festivus, but be prepared for broken Festivus poles and bruised limbs.
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