Happy Festivus

Quote du jour - "Shall we liken Christmas to the web in a loom? There are many weavers, who work into the pattern the experience of their lives. When one generation goes, another comes to take up the weft where it has been dropped. The pattern changes as the mind changes, yet never begins quite anew. At first, we are not sure that we discern the pattern, but at last we see that, unknown to the weavers themselves, something has taken shape before our eyes, and that they have made somethingvery beautiful, something which compels our understanding."- Earl W. Count, 4,000 Years of Christmas

So here we are, a couple of days before Christmas, night three of Hanukah, and two days past Solstice. And today we celebrate Festivus. It is the perfect expression of the quote above, a holiday built in response to tradition, history and contemporary sensibilities. www.Religioustolerance.org has this to say about Festivus.

The Roman comic poet Plautus from the 3rd century BCE originally used the term Festivus to refer to "wild celebrations attended by average citizens cutting lose on religious holidays."

Festivus is now a recently invented secular day of celebration for the entire family and friends. It is held annually on DEC-23 -- about half-way between the Winter Solstice and Christmas. It was apparently created in 1966-FEB by Daniel O'Keefe, of Chappaqua, NY. (b ~1928). O'Keefe, a former writer for Reader's Digest, says that the idea just popped into his head. It happened before any of this children were born, and was originally a celebration of the first date that he had with his wife Deborah. He developed it during the 1970s while he researched his book "Stolen Lightning" 6 which the New York Times describes as "a work of sociology that explores the ways people used cults, astrology and the paranormal as a defense against social pressures."

He recalled:
"In the background was Durkenheim's 'Elementary Forms of Religious Life' saying that religion is the unconscious projection of the group. And then the American philosopher Josiah Royce [concluded that] religion is the worship of the beloved community."

The article goes on to quote the Boston Globe's rumminations on the growing popularity of Festivus.

"Behind its popularity, devotees say, are its absence of presents, accent on idiocy, and refreshing lack of familial psychodrama. Festivus may have its own quirky rituals, they note, but none involving theology, batteries, reindeer, political correctness, or parental guilt." 12

Not suprisingly we are inventing new ways to celebrate and worship with our beloved communities. Invention and reinvention is not new. Christmas is different than it used to be - a much bigger deal. Ditto for Hanukah. And life is different, people are busier, more stretched, finances less secure and those beloved communities needs are different as well. What IS a beloved community? Our church is one, of course, but so too are our blood families and our families of choice, our close friends and colleagues. I'm sure if you gaze around your life, you can identify at least one beloved community. The key word is beloved. What draws me to Festivus is its unapologetic secular, non commercial, and playful qualities. It's a holiday centered around relationships - without the packaging. (You have to trust people to wrestle with them.)

Festivus counsels simplicity - don't spend your energy on the perfect holiday decor or the biggest pile of gifts. Rather spend your energy on the people who matter most, on the things that matter most. And Festivus doesn't suggest we ignore the religous message of Christmas, merely the commercial one. It's probably a little late to find the Ben and Jerry's Festivus flavor, but you can celebrate in other ways. Find someone you love, respect and admire. Ask them to wrestle.

So Bright Solstice, Happy Hanukah, Happy Festivus, Merry Christmas.