Friday, December 12, 2008

Celebrating Festivus in Washington


Just when you think government beaurocrats couldn't get more ridiculous Washington State comes along and ups the ante.


In an effort to include every obscure group in the state the good folks at the Capital in Olympia have raised a glorious steel pole to celebrate "Festivus."


Here's the story from komonews.com:



OLYMPIA, Wash. - State officials, besieged by requests for more seasonal displays at the state Capitol, have approved several more - including a "Festivus" display honoring a faux holiday popularized by TV comedian Jerry Seinfeld.


The new display requests come on top of an anti-religion placard, a Christmas tree and a Christian nativity scene erected earlier this week and a pro-religion sign added Friday.


The state General Administration, which runs the state Capitol building, have OK'd four of the requests so far:


- On Saturday, Dec. 6: A balloon nativity shelter from a private citizen.


- On Sunday, Dec. 7: A demonstration by a group called "Private Citizens of Federal Way" against the atheistic sign will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on the front steps.


- On Monday, Dec 8: A display will go up in the capitol from the Washington Values Alliance.


- On Wednesday, Dec 10: A Festivus display from a private citizen.


According to the online reference Wikipedia, Festivus is an annual holiday invented by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a scriptwriter for the TV show Seinfeld.


Most people now celebrate the holiday on Dec. 23, as depicted on the December 18, 1997, Seinfeld episode "The Strike.


"The holiday includes novel practices such as the "Airing of Grievances", in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over
the past year.


I can't wait for the airing of grievances!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't there also wrestling involved ?

Todd Pruitt said...

Sort of. It's called "feats of strength."

Anonymous said...

Is there a "Let's See Who's Governor Can Be The Most Foolish" contest going on that we don't know about ?