'Seinfeld' Spurs Festivus Pole Sales

[Judi Lynn]

Dec 21, 12:43 PM EST

'Seinfeld' Spurs Festivus Pole Sales

By DINESH RAMDE
Associated Press Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Kevin Campanella hates buying and receiving Christmas presents that he says inevitably disappoint. This year, no such worries.

Campanella plans to seek "serenity now" by celebrating Festivus, a wacky holiday popularized in a 1997 "Seinfeld" episode. Billed as "Festivus for the rest of us," the holiday celebrated by the Costanza clan on Dec. 23 features an airing of grievances and feats of strength in which a guest must pin the host before the party ends.

In protest of Christmas' commercialism, character Frank Costanza puts up an unadorned aluminum pole instead of a tree. The metal, he says admiringly, has a "very high strength-to-weight ratio."

"I just always loved that episode," said Campanella, 28, a landscaper from Warwick, R.I. "But it's not so much about the show - I think the idea of Festivus is a good idea."

So does The Wagner Companies. The Milwaukee-based maker of hand-railing components is bringing back its line of Festivus poles for the holiday season. The company had plenty of metal rails on hand already and launched the product last year on a whim.
(snip/...)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FESTIVUS_POLES?SITE=AZTUC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT



Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle

Photos of various Festivus poles, and celebrants:

http://www.festivuspoles.com/pages/festivus/me_and_my_festivus_pole.htm

[Hugin]

1. Happy Festivus Judi Lynn!

The "Airing of Grievances" has already begun!

:party:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

3. So THAT'S what's been going on at my house!

I thought Mr. DTBK and I just were stressed out and picking on each other. Now I can blame it on the Airing of Grievances! Yippee!!

[Hugin]

4. It's truly a wonderful season...

Have a happy holiday and may your grievances turn to love and joy!

:party:

[ironflange]

2. Thanks for the reminder!

I have a pole to set up outside. It's an aluminum pipe, 3" in diameter and about 12' long. I'm setting it up in the back yard now.

[Initech]

5. Cool! Have a Human Fund card: