Festivus for the Rest of Us
Tired of the bankrupt making gift shopping, the holiday cooking, the fake smiles and time-wasting converations with house guests? Why not get away from it all? But how? Easy? Celebrate Festivus!
With Festivus, there’s a metallic pole in lieu of the Menorah or X-Mas tree, entertaining but embarassing admissions around the holiday table, and of course the tests of strength (usually wrestling will do). This holiday became more mainstream when it was featured on an episode of Seinfeld, but it had been around well before it’s TV appearance.
To read much more about this wonderful substitute for year-end strife, check out this rather thorough Detroit Free Press Article: Happy Festivus
and to all, Have a Happy Festivus !
it’s funny that one of the guys in the Freep story says he likes the idea of Festivus and condems Christmas’ commercialism and greed but then points out that he still celebrates it (Christmas). maybe that’s why while shopping last Sunday i saw so many angry, agitated, impatient and simply annoyed people…they were buying stuff because they felt they “had to” and not because they wanted to.
Max: EXACTLY!
When holiday preparations are more of a CHORE than something you enjoy doing, you should ask yourself: “WHY am I putting myself through this? Isn’t there a better, more enriching way to get the family together? Why do I need to buy lots of silly presents for people simply because they’ll be buying lots of silly presents for me?”
We’re talking about the commercialization of the holidays more than just the celebration of them…
It’s like a nuclear build-up of holiday presents… How about next year… NO PRESENTS GIVEN OR RECEIVED? Oh Boy… what a bonus!
This is great! I love Festivus! I think I’m ready for the tests of strength this year…
well, the reason some Christians give gifts at Christmas is to celebrate God giving the world a gift, His Son… we got a gift, so, now we give a gift… that’s why Christians are supposed to give gifts… for Jews the same premise stands: oil lit a menorah for 8 days, when it was only supposed to go for one… a miraculous gift!!! in light of that, they give gifts… i recall mollika mentioning something about Hinduism having a similar holiday… would love to get a refresher on it…
so, initially people gave gifts to others during this time of the year in response to having already received a gift from above… jeff is right, these days, people give gifts because they have to, because “it’s the thing to do”… if that’s the only reason you do it, it makes sense that it would be more of a chore than a joy… commercialism has indeed made it this way..
Festivus Yes!
Bagels No!