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."
(1) Seinfeld fans
(2) People who didn't think Seinfeld was funny at all
I'm in the third group. Saw a couple of episodes, and was indifferent. Mildly amusing, but nothing to rearrange my schedule to see.
Good choice. What if you were just one day off? Heh, heh....
Source?
One of the funniest Seinfeld episodes ever, but some people just take things too far.
"Pathetic. Living one's life by a syndicated sitcom."
What do you call Kwanza? Kwanza was created by a black racist and is officially recognized by the US govt?
I call Kwanzaa a scam designed to separate black people from their hard-earned money.
"Christmas is a religious celebration. If you don't believe, you are just pretending. An observer. And that includes all the "secular Christians"."
Of course it is, but to those who aren't religious they need not exclude themselves. People are free to celebrete Christmas however religiously or secularly they please.
I never claimed anything differently.
If you want to "celebrate" the Passover as trick or treat day, you can. But it still won't be Halloween. And you will just be deluding yourself. No problem for me.
Did you happen to have a 
?
For him, Jesus is the messiah.
To which you responded:
Hmmm, now there is a "you don't get to decide" issue. What he thinks is irrelevant. Either Christ is the messiah, or he isn't. Belief of anyone or even everyone make no difference at all.
So.....saying one believes Jesus is the messiah isn't a Christian? I'll let him know you said so. I'm sure he'll repond quite apologetically.
SCG, did you know that Protagoras doesn't think you are a Christian?
Well, good for him he can think whatever he likes of me, as I can of him.
Only God's judgment matters to me, not some armchair evangelist making pronouncements about faith.
And bitch and gripe at them??? Why in the world would I choose to celebrate this type of holiday? I get enough people bitching at me on a day to day basis. These wackos want to set aside a day to gripe? Nope, count me out
Consider yourself blessed. For you, every day is Festivus.
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