Anyone Else Celebrate Festivus Instead Of Christmas? Options

[ladywolf]

It was made famous on the Jerry Seinfeld show, but actually has roots that go back centuries. A pagan festival with no real established rituals, except that you erect a Festivus pole (a plain aluminum pole) on Dec. 23rd, and that's your tree, and you don't exchange gifts--you air grievances!

I have no living family and haven't for a long time, so Festivus feels about right for me and a close woman friend, also without family. Every year I construct a Festivus wreath--this year's has a Pepto Bismal bottle on it, along with a tranquilizer prescription bottle and an empty pack of cigarettes, and a rubber chicken and a bell hanging from a safety pin and some really tacky old Xmas greenery--you get the idea. It tickles me. You can also make up Festivus songs and sing anything you want to.

Anyone else who is fed up with Christmas, please consider celebrating Festivus with us. The grievances you air are supposed to be really dumb things like: aren't you sick of the way that light bulbs are packaged in flimsy paper, and batteries are packaged in inpenetrable plastic so thick that you stab yourself whenever you try to open them? Whoever heard of a battery breaking when you drop it? That sort of thing.

Happy Festivus!

Margi and Ladywolf

[blindsided too.....]

lol, I've seen this term but never investigated it... no, haven't done that one but it sounds fun. Not fed up with Christmas (the commercialization of it, perhaps) but this is still something I might do some day. Thanks for 'splaining it. :]

[madi]

I've never heard of it Margi, there are a lot of different beliefs in our society and not everyone believes in Christmas, so why not? . I like the no present idea, but I personally still like the Christmas celebration and the tree and the family gathering. My son would possibly like the idea of the pole and the things you described hanging on it, it would suit the old operating table he wanted to buy to use in his apartment as a coffee table. Hope Lady Wolf is doing ok xx

madi xx

[ladywolf]

I've never heard of it Margi, there are a lot of different beliefs in our society and not everyone believes in Christmas, so why not? . I like the no present idea, but I personally still like the Christmas celebration and the tree and the family gathering. My son would possibly like the idea of the pole and the things you described hanging on it, it would suit the old operating table he wanted to buy to use in his apartment as a coffee table. Hope Lady Wolf is doing ok xx

madi xx

Thanks, ladies, for getting with "the spirit of Festivus." Janice and I had a good one this year--we were late in erecting the Festivus pole (we put it up Christmas morning), and I put a bizarre hand-crocheted cow skull with a Santa hat at the top of the pole. We tried to air grievances but couldn't think of very many. We also accomplished "feats of strength" (that's another part of the Festivus celebration), which in my case consisted of lifting ALL of my laundry out of the washer and putting it in the dryer, and in Janice's case, reaching across the table for a Kleenex.

Then we took a long drive, went rock-hunting, and had an outdoor Festivus picnic with strange foods. Well done, all in all!!!

Margi and the Wolf