Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Happy Festivus: Stop Crying & Fight Your Father
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 23, 2016
Modified Dec 23, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 23, 2016
Modified Dec 23, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Today is Festivus, the important alternative holiday popularized by the classic 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike." It is a magical time for family and friends who have been driven out of Bayside to gather together around the Festivus pole for Feats of Strength and, most importantly this year, the annual Airing of the Grievances.
The idea for the Seinfeld episode originated (accidentally) with sitcom writer Daniel O'Keefe, who later published a book, The Real Festivus, which lays out how Festivus was an actual holiday created by his father. "In real life it was celebrated whenever the hell my dad felt like it, September to May," O'Keefe later explained. "One year there was none. One year, there were two."
In the same Q&A, O'Keefe recalled that it wasn't until he was eight years old that he realized Festivus was not a holiday others celebrated: "I mentioned to a kid on the bus 'We had Festivus last night, and...' He said 'Whaaaaaat?' I soon realized to keep my mouth shut about it and I did for literally twenty years with outsiders, to the point I had actually repressed/forgotten it, till my younger brother (Mark O'Keefe who wrote 'Bruce Almighty' and 'Click') mentioned it to the 'Seinfeld' head writers and they made me stick it in an episode, although I fought against it."
Here's the semi-official Festivus website for all your Festivus needs. Of course, the only thing you really for Festivus is a place to air your grievances. So scroll down and let us know what your problem is in the comments.
Tagged
festivus
holidays
seinfeld
the human fund
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .