Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Jerry Stiller (Contributor) "Most Festivus-friendly people believe the holiday was born December 18, 1997, the day the Festivus episode of Seinfeld was first broadcast..." (more)
Key Phrases: aluminum pole, Miss Festivus, Feats of Strength, Airing of Grievances (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"(Festivus is) hilariously captured in this new book, just in time for Festivus season." -- Star Magazine

"(Salkin) chronicles Festivus's absurdity and purity...the funniest thing about this book is that everything in it is true." -- --January Magazine

"A top holiday hit." -- New York Post

"Examines the history and appeal of the anti-holiday...inspired." -- --The Standard

"Festivus is cheap, funny, and irreverent." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Just what the holiday season ordered." -- --The Journal News

"Stuff stockings with this one before you partake in the airing of grievances and/or feats of strength." -- The Stamford Advocate

"The essential Festivus book." -- --The Times of London

"The perfect stocking stuffer... Salkin finds people who take the holiday to new heights." -- Tampa Tribune

"This hilarious book about the fictional holiday is nondenominational... unless you consider 'Seinfeld' your religion." -- Cargo

Product Description

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," has transcended television to become a worldwide phenomenon. In this side-splitting romp through the Festivus landscape, Allen Salkin meets Miss Festivus, tastes Festivus beer, and ponders the Festivus snail (along with Festy the cat), showing how anyone with a little creativity-and a dash of Costanza-can celebrate a Happy Festivus!

My Man Plautus: Learn how (and dear God, why?) the ancient Romans invented Festivus.

Mom, is that you? Peruse dozens of photos and illustrations of Festivus celebrants in their natural habitat.

Be sure to wash the nails: Learn to cook tasty Festivus recipes like Shrimp impaled on mini Festivus poles and Ham with Junior Mint and Snapple glaze.

There she is, Miss Festivus! Criteria for judging your own Miss Festivus contest (hint: the abilities to bowl a 170 and clean a carburetor count big).

Are those my chestnuts roasting? Lyrics and chords to that surefire smash "O Festivus!"and the chart-topping hit all the kids are singing: "Gather 'Round the Pole."

No fire hazards here: Tips on acquiring a gloriously inflammable aluminum pole.

A foreword by Father Festivus himself, Jerry Stiller! See why Festivus is more fun than being killed by a giant boulder.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446696749
• ISBN-13: 978-0446696746
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #236,714 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for the rest of us..., October 25, 2005

By	Marshall Poe - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Festivus Yes! Bagels No!, November 1, 2005

By	Douglas B. Rubin (Princeton, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you want to know about the holiday for the restivus, October 24, 2005

By	Catherine D. Slane "casscass" (NY,NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Festivus isn't just a holiday book, it is a cult classic. Forget about buying holly and a wreath this year, just get this book and your whole idea about the holidays will transform into something hilarious. Seriously, this book will make you cry with laughter and could end all of your "holiday blues".