Today we will be exploring the holidays of Festivus and 12th Night.
Festivus is celebrated on December 23rd and it originated from a Seinfeld episode. Festivus was created by Seinfeld writer Daniel O'Keefe who created the holiday for his family- it was actually a way to commerate the fist date he had with his wife-and then wrote about it in a Seinfeld episode called "The Strike."
He created it as an alternative to the commercialism of Christmas. O'Keefe was reluctant to share his family's tradition but other writers of Seinfeld were so intrigued they persuaded the writer to include his family's traditions into an episode.
The word festivus is Latin and means "excellent, jovial, lively."
A common saying, "Festivus for the rest of us."
Due to the popularity of Seinfeld, slowly over the years, celebrating Fesitvus has become popular.
Festivus Poles have popped up in cities such as Deerfield Beach, Florida and the Wisconsin State Capitol.
An annual public Festivus celebration has been held in Pittsburgh since 2005 and features live bands, and a Seinfeld trivia contest.
Senator Rand Paul, tweets a yearly "Airing of Grievances" on the day of Festivus.
Instead of a Christmas tree, there is a Festivus Pole- which is just an aluminum pole.
The Festivus dinner includes "The Airing of Grievances" which has each person go around the table and tell others what they were disappointed in the past year- in each other and the world in general.
The Festivus meal is followed by "Feats of Strength" Where the head of the household selects one person and challenges them to a wrestling match. Tradition states that Festivus is not over until the head of the household is pinned.
As you can see, much of this is ridiculous and invented for fun so revelers today do the traditions with varying degrees of seriousness.
12th Night occurs on the very last day of the Holiday Season.
It typically marks the end of the "12 Days of Christmas" which starts on Christmas Day or the day after itself and ends on the Eve of Epiphany or the day of Epiphany.
Epiphany is marked by the announcement of birth of Jesus by the Three Wise Men.
Some believe it is bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up past 12th Night. But many religions believe it is important to not take Holiday Decorations down until the date of Epiphany as a way to honor the announcement of the birth of Jesus.
In Colonial America, A Christmas Wreath was always left on the front door of each home and taken down at the End of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
12th Night is seen as a night of merriment and mischief and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or What you Will was written to be performed as entertainment on Twelfth Night.
In modern times, 12th Night if often seen as one last chance to get in a celebratory holiday meal, some drinking of Wassail, and the burning of any holiday greens still left up. King Cakes are often brought into the holiday feast and will be eaten up until Ash Wednesday which starts the Lenten Season.
Some families will give children small gifts to signify what the wise men brought to baby Jesus in the manger.
Does anyone here celebrate Festivus or 12th Night?
Festivus is celebrated on December 23rd and it originated from a Seinfeld episode. Festivus was created by Seinfeld writer Daniel O'Keefe who created the holiday for his family- it was actually a way to commerate the fist date he had with his wife-and then wrote about it in a Seinfeld episode called "The Strike."
He created it as an alternative to the commercialism of Christmas. O'Keefe was reluctant to share his family's tradition but other writers of Seinfeld were so intrigued they persuaded the writer to include his family's traditions into an episode.
The word festivus is Latin and means "excellent, jovial, lively."
A common saying, "Festivus for the rest of us."
Due to the popularity of Seinfeld, slowly over the years, celebrating Fesitvus has become popular.
Festivus Poles have popped up in cities such as Deerfield Beach, Florida and the Wisconsin State Capitol.
An annual public Festivus celebration has been held in Pittsburgh since 2005 and features live bands, and a Seinfeld trivia contest.
Senator Rand Paul, tweets a yearly "Airing of Grievances" on the day of Festivus.
Instead of a Christmas tree, there is a Festivus Pole- which is just an aluminum pole.
The Festivus dinner includes "The Airing of Grievances" which has each person go around the table and tell others what they were disappointed in the past year- in each other and the world in general.
The Festivus meal is followed by "Feats of Strength" Where the head of the household selects one person and challenges them to a wrestling match. Tradition states that Festivus is not over until the head of the household is pinned.
As you can see, much of this is ridiculous and invented for fun so revelers today do the traditions with varying degrees of seriousness.
12th Night occurs on the very last day of the Holiday Season.
It typically marks the end of the "12 Days of Christmas" which starts on Christmas Day or the day after itself and ends on the Eve of Epiphany or the day of Epiphany.
Epiphany is marked by the announcement of birth of Jesus by the Three Wise Men.
Some believe it is bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up past 12th Night. But many religions believe it is important to not take Holiday Decorations down until the date of Epiphany as a way to honor the announcement of the birth of Jesus.
In Colonial America, A Christmas Wreath was always left on the front door of each home and taken down at the End of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
12th Night is seen as a night of merriment and mischief and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or What you Will was written to be performed as entertainment on Twelfth Night.
In modern times, 12th Night if often seen as one last chance to get in a celebratory holiday meal, some drinking of Wassail, and the burning of any holiday greens still left up. King Cakes are often brought into the holiday feast and will be eaten up until Ash Wednesday which starts the Lenten Season.
Some families will give children small gifts to signify what the wise men brought to baby Jesus in the manger.
Does anyone here celebrate Festivus or 12th Night?
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