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If an award had been to be given to the very best pretend vacation of all time, it could absolutely go to Festivus, the Christmas various made well-known by Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) within the traditional 1997 Seinfeld episode, “The Strike.” And how might it not? With zany Festivus traditions just like the Airing of Grievances, the Feats of Strength, and an aluminum pole rather than a standard Christmas tree, Festivus is unparalleled by way of each humor and sheer ridiculousness.
However, the occasions of “The Strike” aren’t as fictitious as they might seem. In truth, Seinfeld author Dan O’Keefe based mostly the episode (and Frank’s antics) on the precise vacation created and celebrated by his father (Daniel O’Keefe) within the early Seventies, proving that fact is commonly stranger than fiction. Despite not that includes vacation heat, sappy classes in regards to the significance of household, or postcard-perfect winterscapes suited to a Hallmark film, the episode stays important vacation viewing for displaying that simply because the vacations roll round does not imply that everybody ought to all of the sudden flip chipper and nice, nor do all our unfavourable, unwholesome traits merely simply disappear. This is proven by way of the conduct of George (Jason Alexander), Kramer (Michael Richards), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) all through the episode.
The Airing of Grievances
George is the epitome of cheapness and laziness, and these dominant traits particularly floor through the Christmas season. When his good friend, Tim Watly (Bryan Cranston), offers him a card stating that, “a donation has been made in your identify to the Children’s Alliance,” George is appalled to have obtained a “pretend” present. “Don’t you see how wrong that is?” he says, aghast. “Where’s your Christmas spirit? An eye for an eye!” But slightly than sucking it up, George decides to begin handing out comparable donation “present” playing cards to his co-workers from a charity referred to as The Human Fund. The solely downside? The Human Fund is not an actual charity. He invents the pretend charity to be able to get credit score for giving items with out truly spending any cash, all of the whereas amassing actual items (like cigars and fancy cufflinks) from his co-workers. Here, George reveals that simply because Christmas comes round does not imply that he has to vary his low-cost and lazy methods.
But George is not the one character whose shameful traits persist by way of the vacations. Kramer’s irritation and indifference in the direction of societal norms are on full show when he resumes working at H&H Bagels after a 12-year strike. However, his enthusiasm for bagel-making and getting his fingers “again in that dough” shortly disappears when Frank introduces him to Festivus. “Frank,” he says, “this new vacation of yours is scratching me proper the place I itch.” He turns into so enamored with Festivus that he goes on strike — once more — when his boss refuses him break day work to have a good time it.
Does he present concern for his employment or the place his subsequent paycheck is coming from? He certain does not! He’s Kramer, in any case. What he does present is his annoyance and outrage by picketing outdoors the bagel store with a wacky signal studying, “Festivus Yes! Bagels No!” Even although it is solely two days earlier than Christmas, he does not change his true colours, going as far as to take his antics a step additional by sabotaging the bagel machine. In the top, his buffoonery has penalties when he is fired from H&H. But in true Kramer vogue, not solely is he unconcerned, however he is grateful to be free of the pressures of the working world.
Even Elaine is not proof against revealing her true colours through the holidays. She matches Kramer’s quirks, irritation, and indifference together with her dishonesty. When she is hit on by an retro denim-vest-wearing man named Steve (Kevin McDonald), she offers him her commonplace pretend telephone quantity, hoping by no means to listen to from him once more. “I bought Denim Vest checking me out,” she says, laughing. “Fake telephone quantity’s popping out tonight.” But her fast (although heartless) repair grows into an ungainly state of affairs when she realizes that she wrote the pretend telephone quantity on the again of her Atomic Sub loyalty card. Unless she will get it again, she will not get her free sub. “I’ve eaten 23 unhealthy subs,” she says, “I simply want yet another.” And so begins her quest to trace down Steve — to not apologize for her dishonesty, however to get again her Atomic Sub card so she will be able to accumulate her free sandwich. Whether her mates agree together with her conduct or not, Elaine is aware of what she desires, goes after it, and does not really feel responsible about it. She reveals that Christmas spirit or not, we do not have to really feel pressured to be further type, sincere, or fully change our personalities just because that is how society tells us we’re supposed to behave and really feel through the month of December.
Jerry is arguably probably the most level-headed and least neurotic of Seinfeld‘s predominant characters, although his less-than-stellar character traits come into focus when he begins relationship Gwen (Karen Fineman). Over the course of a number of dates, Jerry is horrified to seek out that she’s a “two-face,” somebody who seems to be enticing someday and unattractive the following. “So, if I ask her out once more,” Jerry worries, “I do not know who’s displaying up: The good, the unhealthy, or the ugly.” But Jerry solves this challenge by solely being seen together with her in locations the place the lighting is greatest, just like the again sales space of the espresso store. Gwen is none the wiser. She believes that the change of surroundings is as a result of Jerry is dishonest on her and needs to maintain his “actual” girlfriend from discovering them. “That’s why we’re at all times hiding in that espresso store!” she says. “He’s afraid of getting caught.”
Jerry’s give attention to his girlfriend’s look heightens his excessive vainness and obsession along with his many girlfriends’ bodily magnificence. While it could be the season of giving, it is not the season of constructing judgmental observations about your important different. But as cringe-worthy and significant as Jerry’s conduct is, the Christmas season has no sway on him persevering with to point out his much less admirable traits. He does not really feel responsible about it. And if we discover ourselves harboring comparable unfavourable emotions within the lead-up to Christmas, “The Strike” tells us that we should not both.
With its pessimistic and Grinch-like view of the vacation season, “The Strike” is half-hour of memorable (and cringe-worthy) humor that does not match the mould of the sappy and heart-warming Christmas specials that often inundate the month of December. It tells us it is acceptable — and offers us permission — to really feel the unfavourable emotions we could really feel all all year long. Whether we establish with George’s cheapness, Kramer’s indifference, Elaine’s dishonesty, or Jerry’s vainness, it is all okay. Because though the climate grows chilly, Christmas lights line the streets, and everybody maxes out their bank cards to purchase items for family and friends, it does not imply that our whole outlook on life has to vary together with the season. It’s a liberating realization, one which Seinfeld‘s predominant characters appear to have discovered early on. And if we’re capable of do the identical and lower ourselves some slack for not being 100% heat, welcoming, and chipper all by way of the vacation season, properly…that might be an everyday Festivus miracle.