Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us

by Allen Salkin

Book Overview

Looking to add a little bitterness to your holiday season? Then FESTIVUS is the book you cannot do without Take Frosty out behind the woodshed and hide your menorahs, kinaras, diyas and whatevahs...the time has come for Festivus The event celebrated by Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) on Seinfeld, in which a bare aluminum pole replaces all holiday and religious symbols, where participants compete in "feats of strength" and undertake the "airing of grievances,"...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446696749
• ISBN13: 9780446696746
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 129 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.6" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Festivus...YESSS!

My friends and I always talked about having a Festivus party and thought we were the only ones original and subversive enough to attempt it, but as Allen Salkin thoroughly reveals, we were not. Turns out, people all over the country have been celebrating Festivus since the Seinfeld episode aired, adding their own uniquely hilarious twists on the 3 essential elements of the holiday; the pole, the airing of grievances, and the feats of strength! The book is packed with enough accounts and images of Festivus revelers nationwide to turn even the steeliest reader onto its low-budget charms. I received the book as a Secret Santa gift at work (ironic, no?) and am spreading the gospel to my two brothers, who will both find this tight little tome tucked into their respective stockings this holiday season. And in the spirit of Festivus, Three Grievances: 1. Gypsies don't excite me the way they used to. 2. The girl across from me looks better in her denim mini. 3. My boss's refridgerator smells like a rancid bait shop.

Festivus Yes! Bagels No!

As anyone who has seen the Seinfield episode entitled, "The Strike," knows, Festivus is, was and will always be a holiday invented by George's father as a reaction against the commercialization of Christmas. For me and thousands (probably not tens of thousands), it has struck a chord and every December 23rd, we make sure the aluminum pole is up while we list our grievances and test our strength. Allen Salkin has done a fantastic job of combining the lore and myth of Festivus with the truth and background of this mysterious, now-not-so-fictional holiday. (It turns out that some the co-creators of that particular Seinfeld episode had some family history around this important addition to the Winter Solstice calendar!) As Festivus gains in popularity and contributions to the Human Fund overflow, I predict that this book will be a key addition to the religious doctrine of this solemn holiday. Final disclosure/correction -- While I have some grievances, I never told anyone that I wanted my wife to get rid of her stuffed Tigers!

A good book for the rest of us...

I have in my paws a brand new copy of Festivus. It is very, very funny. I especially like the fact that the tone is wry (the author knows a bit too much about Festivus, and he knows he knows too much). The editorial comments--particularly under the picture of the poor cat with the lion cut--are very welcome indeed. Lord knows why people celebrate Festivus, but this book shows that they really do. Read all about it. Also, the book would make a good gift for people you like but doen't want to spend much on. Obviously, Seinfeld fans will eat it up.

Pant-wetting funniness!

Seriously, you'll need to be wearing a Depends (make that two) whilst reading this book! Allen Salkin and Jerry Stiller make a great comedic duo. After I read the book I read Allen Salkin's blog- this guy is hilarious! I am totally going to have my own Festivus party now. I need to train for thumb wrestling (read the book and you'll understand) Festivus for the rest of us!

An entertaining and comprehensive treatment

Everything you ever wanted to know about Festivus, and some stuff you would rather not know (nail impaled shrimp anyone?). Entertaining text and photographs, weird kind of scary drawings. Brings up some interesting ideas about religious celebration in general. Heck who knows, in 200 years Festivus might be as big as Halloween. Makes excellent bathroom reading.