Google Recognizes Festivus, For The Rest Of Us

by uInterviewDecember 12, 2012, 12:00 amNews >

If only Google had existed 15 years ago when Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller), George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) father, was on the NBC comedy Seinfeld. If you type in “Festivus” in the Google search bar and look closely, you will see a nondescript aluminum pole on the left side of the screen. For non-Seinfeld diehards, the pole commemorates Festivus, the holiday Frank invented in response to the commercialization of Christmas, and billed as, “A Festivus for the rest of us.” Other Festivus staples include the “Airing of Grievances” and the “Feats of Strength,” in which the head of the household wrestles with another member of the house.

“If you’re not big on the holidays, don’t forget there’s a Festivus for the rest of us,” a Google spokesperson told EW. “No tinsel, just a sturdy pole. Good luck if you’re chosen for the Feats of Strength.”

The idea for Festivus came from Seinfeld writer Dan O’Keefe’s holiday family conventions and is chronicled in his book, The Real Festivus.

Festivus has gained a cult following, spawning books and websites. You can even purchase a Fesitvus pole at www.festivuspoles.com.

The holiday first appeared in the Seinfeld episode “The Strike,” which originally aired on Dec. 18, 1997. The actual Festivus is held five days later, on Dec. 23.