28 Years Ago Today, Seinfeld Popularized a New Holiday (and It Was Based on Real Life)

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Throughout its nine seasons, Seinfeld became known for doing things differently than most sitcoms, so it’s fitting that its take on a holiday episode was also unique. Instead of a heartwarming story about the true meaning of Christmas or Hanukkah, the show used the holidays to highlight George Costanza’s unusual family life. They introduced Festivus, a non-traditional holiday invented by George’s father, Frank, as a way to avoid the commercialism of Christmas. This memorable holiday is featured in the Season 9 episode “The Strike,” which first aired on December 18, 1997.

When Frank enthusiastically explains Festivus to Kramer, it seems so unusual you’d think it was invented for the show. But, like many classic Seinfeld episodes, “The Strike” is based on a true story. Festivus is a real holiday created by Daniel O’Keefe, the father of Seinfeld writer Dan O’Keefe, to commemorate his first date with his wife. Dan O’Keefe initially didn’t want to write an episode about it, almost forgetting it like a difficult memory, but the rest of the writing team convinced him to move forward.

Seinfeld Put Its Own Spin on Festivus

The Festivus celebration seen in the Seinfeld episode “The Strike” isn’t exactly how the O’Keefe family originally celebrated. As with any TV show adaptation, some details were changed and added for entertainment. One major difference is the metal pole the Costanzas use instead of a Christmas tree. The O’Keefes didn’t have a pole; instead, Daniel O’Keefe would hang a clock in a bag on the wall. Also, Seinfeld sets Festivus on December 23rd, aligning it with the Christmas season. However, Dan O’Keefe recalls Festivus being a flexible holiday, celebrated whenever his father decided it was time.

The show Seinfeld included a few references to O’Keefe family customs. They recreated the “Feats of Strength” with kids wrestling, and the “Airing of Grievances” came from Daniel’s habit of secretly recording family members complaining about each other, then playing the recordings for everyone.

Thanks to the huge success of Seinfeld, Festivus quickly went from a unique family tradition to a well-known part of popular culture. Now, Seinfeld fans around the globe celebrate Festivus each year as part of their holiday celebrations. The holiday even became famous enough to inspire a special flavor from Ben & Jerry’s and was featured in jokes on The Simpsons. Seinfeld introduced many new words and phrases into our culture, and Festivus is definitely one of the most widely recognized.

It was definitely odd for Dan O’Keefe’s father to see his unusual idea become so popular, but fans of Seinfeld can be happy knowing he eventually embraced it. In a behind-the-scenes feature on the Season 9 DVD, Dan O’Keefe described how his father initially felt “weirded out” by the episode, “The Strike.” However, he quickly changed his mind, feeling “vindicated” because he believed it meant his message was finally being heard. Thanks to Seinfeld, that message continues to reach people every December 23rd.

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2025-12-19 00:42