How Do I Throw Festivus Parties?

Some people enjoy celebrating Christmas with tons of decorations and a brightly lit Christmas tree. But on the other end of the spectrum are those who could do without garish Christmas décor, and would love to skip the holiday. If you are tired of how commercialized Christmas has become, a Festivus party may be for you. This Seinfeld-based holiday debuted during Episode 10 in the ninth season of this comical show. This party is perfect if you want to celebrate Christmas in a strange and unexpected way.

Things You'll Need

• Metal pole
• Terra pot
• Dirt
• Rocks
• barbells
• Flower pots
• Marker
• Seinfeld DVD

Instructions

1. Use your computer to create Festivus invitations based on that episode. For example, use an image of the character George Costanza or his father, Frank, on the invitation. An alternative would be to paste an image of a plain metal pole to a white notecard. Write "Festivus for the Rest of Us" or "Happy Festivus" in bold font above or beneath the image. This party can be thrown anytime of the year.

2. Place a large, yet light, metal pole into a terra cotta pot. Pour dirt and rocks into the pot to keep the pole in place. Keep the pole undecorated.

3. Dress up your table by placing miniature barbells all over the table. The barbells represent the Feats of Strength. You can also decorate your table with small flower pots that have been filled with dirt and have long, silver nail stuck in the center of the pot to represent the undecorated aluminum pole.

4. Use a dark marker to write "Festivus for the Rest of Us" on a large white banner. The less decorated the banner, the better; this holiday shuns all decorations. Place this banner in a place where your guests can easily see it.

5. Create an "Airing of Grievances" form so guests can write down grievances against the other guests. Tell your guests to write down things that caused them to be disappointed in the other guests. It's best to keep the comments in good humor to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. Stand up and read the forms while everyone is eating dinner.

6. Serve dinner. Some possiblities include meatloaf, fish, pork, tacos or steak. There isn't a standard meal for a Festivus party, so serve what you like. Avoid serving any food related to Christmas, such as Christmas cookies or gingerbread.

7. Watch "The Strike," the infamous episode that features this hilarious celebration. Some highlights of this episode include Elaine giving men fake numbers just to get a free subway card so she can get her free sub. Another funny highlight is Jerry meeting a woman named Gwen that he refers to as "two-faced" because, depending on the lighting she is under, she may be either gorgeous or very unattractive. In addition, George makes a fake charity he calls "the human fund." Everyone gathers to celebrate Festivus at the end of the episode.

8. Conclude the party by inviting everyone to take part in the Feats of Strength. In the Seinfeld episode, the head of the household challenged a guest to a wrestling match; the party could not end until someone was pinned. However, it's a lot more fun if everyone participates in the Feats of Strength. It's best to stick to feats of strength that are more humorous than challenging, unless your guests are all physically strong.

References

• Happy Festivus