Festivus — the holiday “for the rest of us” — may have been popularized by Seinfeld, but it didn’t start there.
The actual inventor of Festivus is Dan O'Keefe, 76, whose son Daniel, a writer on Seinfeld, reportedly “appropriated” a family tradition for the episode (“The Strike”) he wrote introducing Festivus to the rest of us.
The first Festivus took place in February 1966, invented by O'Keefe Sr. to celebrate his first date with his future wife, Deborah. It became an annual family tradition, but had no set date. It included airings of grievances into a tape recorder and wrestling matches between O'Keefe Jr. and his two brothers. It did not, however, include an aluminum pole. One thing that didn’t make it into the Seinfeld episode: There was a clock in a bag that was nailed to a wall.
These days Festivus aficionados generally celebrate the activities on Dec. 23, as was the case in the Seinfeld episode.
Festivus Festivities
For those unfamiliar with the traditions, you start with an aluminum pole, chosen for its “high strength-to-weight” ratio, and never decorated.
Dinner on Festivus includes the Airing of Grievances, where those in attendance share with the others there how they disappointed him or her in the preceding year.
The day’s events conclude with the Feats of Strength, where the head of the household (or the host of the Festivus dinner) challenges one of the guests to a test of physical strength. The challenger may choose anyone as an opponent and a challenge may not be refused — unless, of course, the challenged has a previous engagement. To claim victory, you have to pin your opponent to the ground.
Oh, and you can download Festivus Greeting Cards, an Airing of Grievances Worksheet and a Feats of Strength Challenge Card here.
