I love Kermit!
I'll buy you this Kermit toy for Christmas.
I went to high school with a boy named Kermit. I'm not kidding.
Posted on 12/21/2005 11:36:24 AM PST by Cagey
ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATIONS: Pole for the holidays
Celebrating the holidays with a diverse group of friends can get tricky. That's where Festivus, the "holiday for the rest of us," comes in.
Invented in 1966 by a Reader's Digest editor but made popular through a 1997 "Seinfeld" episode, the fictional celebration has been brought to life by fervent supporters across the country - including Clarkston native Blake Coe.
According to the "Seinfeld" episode, Festivus is celebrated on Dec. 23 and is marked by a tinsel-free aluminum pole, feats of strength - like wrestling - and the airing of grievances, during which followers tell loved ones how they have disappointed them during the year.
Though Coe, 24, also celebrates Christmas, he said Festivus is a welcome break from the holidays.
"With all of the things that now make the Christmas season about political correctness, over-commercialization and greed, it is refreshing that Festivus separates itself from that," said Coe, who has been celebrating the fictional holiday for five years.
Coe recently moved to Chicago, but he'll be home in Clarkston for Festivus. On Saturday, Coe's parents, Sally and Ken, put up the pole. Grandma was there, too.
Coe said he bought the aluminum pole - a centerpiece of Festivus celebrations - a few years ago at Home Depot for $5. However, merchants are now selling them online for almost $40. "I wish we had thought of that at the time," Blake Coe said, laughing.
The term "Festivus" yields more than 20,000 Web sites in monthly Google searches, said Allen Salkin, who tracked the figures for his new book, "Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us," which was released in October by Warner Books.
"Nobody else is writing about it, but it is out there - a very deep and widespread subculture," Salkin said. "I think it has to do with a need for tolerance and a holiday where you don't exclude anybody."
Coe and his friends observe the feats of strength by holding annual billiards and video game tournaments. As for the airing of grievances - "we pretty much go around and talk about each other's less finer moments," said Pat Heber, a Clarkston resident who recently graduated from Michigan State University.
Typically, the feats of strength, or aggression-absorbing activities, are held immediately after the airing of grievances, but there are no hard and fast rules, Salkin said.
That flexibility makes it easy for everyone to celebrate Festivus, he added.
But not everyone will. Elizabeth Zill of Frankenmuth, who is featured in Salkin's book, said one Festivus celebration was enough for her family. A few years ago, Zill strung lights around a metal coat rack and presented it to her teenage daughter as an alternative to the Christmas tree the family never bought.
"Oh, my daughter was ticked at me," Zill said, laughing. "George didn't find it too amusing either," she added, referring to "Seinfeld" character George Costanza (Jason Alexander), who was less than thrilled about his father's idea. "I have a George."
You are so right on!
Seinfeld was funny because every episode touched on some of the more base and tawdry tendencies that we all have, but don't like to admit to ourselves. Seinfeld gave us the opportunity to laugh at them in someone else. That was why it was so successful.
Your post reveals something base and tawdry in you, my friend.
It was one of only 3 TV shows I ever liked. I missed the first season myself when I was working nights. Once I started watching it, I would rush home from work just in time to catch it. My favorite was the subway episode... but all of them - the magic loogie, master of my domain, the virgin (or were they the same episode?), the soup nazi, the airport, waiting at the restaurant, and the "not that there's anything wrong with it" episode - every show was a riot - lol.
I can't quote the shows line by line, though, but Hubby probably can.
I used to write "Druid" on forms that requested religious identification.
I just don't see a need to suck up their annoying behavior, since those people are one of the major reasons I don't like this time of year I develop an admittedly petty need to strike back. Which is one of the reasons I like Festivus, most of this crowd has learned that anybody that mentions Festivus hates them.
I love Kermit!
I'll buy you this Kermit toy for Christmas.
I went to high school with a boy named Kermit. I'm not kidding.
My low tolerance for losers is "tawdry" indeed.
Scary. Hahahahahaha!
"I've got some problems with you people!"
It shows their insecurity when they are afraid to poke fun at themselves (or their beliefs).
SD
Don't laugh.
"I was in the pool"
My "must sees" were The Simpsons and Married With Children during the late 80's/90's. There were others but I can't remember them right now. Seinfeld is the ONLY show I record now. I won't buy the DVD's - I like to be surprised by whatever show is in the rotation.
Given my wife and I's completely different book addictions (we read none of the same stuff) 99% of our decorations are bookshelves.
Now THAT's an awesome comeback!
That's what makes them so ripe for satire... and the cycle continues :~D
I went to school with a girl named Miss Piggy. Well, that's what we called her anyway. I'm not kidding.
:-)
And a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year to you too, my friend.
I was going to spend most of the christmas season in a buddhist country this year to avoid all the annoying and tacky garbage. Didn't get a chance to though, next year for sure.
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