[meteorite-list] OT: Festivus

[Sterling K. Webb]

Yes, but...

    Where's the aluminum pole, the clock, the odd
poetry, and the unidentified ethnic music?

    "Weary of the rampant consumerism of Christmas,  
Frank Costanza invented an alternative holiday with unusual 
traditions. The offbeat holiday struck a chord with many 
viewers... Festivus actually predates 'Seinfeld' by 2300 years.  
In the 3rd century B.C., Roman comic poet Plautus used 
the Latin word Festivus to refer to the wild celebrations 
attended by average citizens cutting loose on religious 
holidays.  Despite this early debut of Festivus, the holiday 
did not appear again until 1966 when the father of Daniel 
O'Keefe, future 'Seinfeld' writer, crafted a unique family 
holiday with untraditional practices such as the wrestling 
of the household head to the ground.  Keefe introduced 
the holiday into 'Seinfeld' lore in 1997, and a cult 
phenomenon was born.  According to Keefe, the only 
tradition that was made up by the show's writers was 
the decorated Festivus pole - everything else was taken 
directly from his family celebrations."

    The best part is that Costanza created the holiday
in opposition to the commercialism of the holidays,
but a quick Google shows that most national Festivus
celebrations are SALES sponsored by groups of
merchants or individual businesses, 40% off, two 
days only... Ya can't get more Seinfeld than that.


Sterling K. Webb
--------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matson, Robert" <ROBERT.D.MATSON at saic.com>
To: "Michael L Blood" <mlblood at cox.net>
Cc: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 6:55 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: Festivus


> 
> Hi Michael,
> 
>> Hope everyone and their loved ones are having a great Christmas or
>> Festivus, Michael
> 
> Aha!  Another Seinfeld fan!  On this very list in the last 24 hours, two
> of the key Festivus activities have been exercised or planned:  "The
> Airing of Grievances" and the "Feats of Strength" (e.g. Coliseum Duel).
> ;-)
> 
> Happy Festivus to All,
> Rob
> 
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>