Holiday season is here! Usually considered as the Christmas season, one ought not to forget that this is also the season for Hanukkah, Muharram, Diwali, Kwanzaa – and Festivus. Oh, and don’t forget Chrismukkah.
Never heard of Chrismukkah or Festivus?
Thank you pop culture.
Introducing: Festivus! The Non-Holiday Holiday
Festivus is a holiday that was introduced to the world by the George and Frank Castanza in the New York City TV sitcom: Seinfeld in December 1997. It is a non-denominational holiday, celebrated by those who are disinterested, frustrated, and fed up with the commercialization, red and green, and pressure of society’s typical Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holiday rituals. Basically, it is an ironic anti-holiday celebration, and usually takes place on December 23rd
Rituals of Festivus include the Festivus Pole, a barren aluminium pole that signifies the opposition to overly decorated Christmas trees. There is a Festivus Dinner, where drinking is often encouraged, and is followed by the Airing of Grievances. During the Airing of Grievances, family members and guests get together and express to each other the grievances or frustrations they’ve had with each other. Finally, there are the Feats of Strength where family and guests choose one person and they all challenge that person to a wrestling match.
Christmukkah? Christmas + Hanukkah = Chrismukkah!
Chrismukkah is a holiday that was first introduced in December 2003 by the TV program, The O.C., based in Orange County, California. The holiday was created by one of the main characters, Seth Cohen. With a Protestant Christian mother and a Jewish father, the inter-religious family adapted the celebration of “Chrismukkah,” creating an inter-faith celebration combining the best aspects of Christmas and Hanukkah.
Today, Festivus is not celebrated seriously by anyone except Seinfeld fans, and has spurned humour books describing Festivus rituals at length. On the other hand, Chrismukkah is a pop culture reference that has gained steam. The launch of Chrismukkah.com by a Jewish-Christian intermarried couple in December 2004 brought Chrismukkah into the commercial world, and at that same time, it was one of Time Magazine‘s “buzzwords” of 2004.
Have a charming Chrismukkah & for the rest of us, it’s Festivus!