As we prepare for Hanukkah and Christmas this week, we must remember the celebration of Festivus on December 23.
During the holidays, consider Festivus as an opportunity to be a little grumpy.
Americans first learned about the invented holiday in a 1997 episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, where George Costanza’s father celebrates Festivus instead of the customary December festivities, which he believes are excessively commercial or religious.
Festivus customs include the airing of grievances, feats of strength (which on the TV show mostly involve wrestling), and the display of an unadorned aluminum pole (instead of a Christmas tree).
During a Festivus dinner, Frank Costanza yells, “I have a lot of problems with you guys.”
We thought that allowing Portlanders to voice some of their own complaints this year could be therapeutic. Using an aluminum pole and a microphone, we went to Tuba Christmas on Saturday in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland.
Here are the grievances we heard, ranging from traffic to leaf blowers to the forecast’s complete absence of snow:
Here is Oregon and The Oregonian/OregonLive are covered by Samantha Swindler. You may reach her at oregonian.com/sswindler.
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