Free Republic

BARTOW, Fla. - When a church group put a nativity scene on public property, officials warned it might open the door to other religious - and not-so-religious - displays. They were right.       Since the nativity was erected in Polk County, displays have gone up honoring Zoroastrianism and the fake holiday Festivus, featured on the TV show ``Seinfeld.''       The Polk County Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday to permit the nativity scene to remain across the street from the courthouse, as well as to make that area a ``public forum'' open to any type of display.       But the commission insisted...

In a classic episode of Seinfeld, George Costanza is distressed to learn that his father is reviving his ersatz Christmastime holiday "Festivus," the central events of which are the Airing of Grievances and the Feats of Strength.Now The New York Times reports that Festivus is actually catching on in some circles:To postulate grandly, the rise of Festivus, a bare-bones affair in which even tinsel is forbidden, may mean that Americans are fed up with the commercialism of the December holidays and are yearning for something simpler. Or it could be that Festivus is the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive...

'Festivus' Shares Space With Fla. Nativity December 22, 2004 11:59 PM EST BARTOW, Fla. - When a church group put a nativity scene on public property, officials warned it might open the door to other religious - and not-so-religious - displays. They were right. Since the nativity was erected in Polk County, displays have gone up honoring Zoroastrianism and the fake holiday Festivus, featured on the TV show "Seinfeld." The Polk County Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday to permit the nativity scene to remain across the street from the courthouse, as well as to make that area a "public forum" open...

Thursday, December 23, 2004 'A Festivus for the rest of us' starts catching on By ALLEN SALKIN THE NEW YORK TIMES Gather around the Festivus pole and listen to a tale about a real holiday made fictional and then real again, a tale that touches on philosophy, King Lear, the pool at the Chateau Marmont hotel, a paper bag with a clock inside and, oh yes, a television show about nothing. The first surprise is that all over the country, many real people are holding parties celebrating Festivus, a holiday most believe was invented on an episode of "Seinfeld" first...

Habitual watchers of "Seinfeld" reruns know that tomorrow is Festivus, the holiday for the "rest of us" created by George Costanza's father for "the airing of grievances." It's in that comic spirit that we offer a holiday grievance of our own: the perception that Christians are victims of religious persecution in America and, more specifically, their warnings of a secular conspiracy to stamp out Christmas. These complaints strike us as melodramatic. For a rising tide of evangelical believers to raise these laments is a bit like the wealthy complaining about high taxes or the Yankees about not winning the World...

GATHER around the Festivus pole and listen to a tale about a real holiday made fictional and then real again, a tale that touches on philosophy, King Lear, the pool at the Chateau Marmont hotel, a paper bag with a clock inside and, oh yes, a television show about nothing. The first surprise is that from Tampa Bay, Fla., to Washington, from Austin, Tex., to Oxford, Ohio, many real people are holding parties celebrating Festivus, a holiday most believe was invented on an episode of "Seinfeld" first broadcast the week before Christmas in 1997. "More and more people are familiar...

Festivis episode of Seinfeld ("The Break") on TBS Thursday night, 9:00PM EST.

Governor Schwarzenegger lit the state Christmas tree and ended a secular practice of calling it a "holiday tree." The governor made no mention of the name change that was in honor of the late Senator William "Pete" Knight. Schwarzenegger said at Knight's funeral in May that he would change the name back to Christmas tree. Knight had lobbied unsuccessfully to change the name after Governor Davis decided to call it a holiday tree. During the 73rd annual lighting, Schwarzenegger took on the role of "Triminator" as he helped a disabled girl trim the tree with the final ornament. The governor...

Will you spend more on Christmas/Holiday gifts this year than last year? I have seen so many polls on websites asking a very similar question but without the use the "C" word. This one does. I answered it! Hope you do too!

After countless Middle East peace initiatives involving politicians, the people behind the One Voice initiative that is set to be launched next week decided to appeal to ordinary Israeli and Palestinian citizens. Who better to appeal to average and apathetic Israelis and Palestinians than Jason Alexander, who played the ultimate average Joe, George Costanza, on the hit NBC sitcom Seinfeld? Alexander is set to arrive in Israel on Monday for a series of media events and meetings designed to promote One Voice, a new diplomatic initiative that aims to poll Israelis and Palestinians over the next six-to-18 months in order...

I GUESS IT wouldn't be very Christian of me to start an argument with the driver of the car with the bumper sticker that reads "Christians aren't better, just better off." I spotted this one in a shopping center the other day and, while I'm usually just mildly amused at bumper stickers - "What if the hokeypokey really is what it's all about?" - this one about Christians being better off scraped against some sensitive nerve, probably because it's that time of year when I figure Christians are reflecting, at least for a few minutes, on what it means to...