All Roads Lead to the Union: Newsletter
Festivus for the Rest of Us
Don’t miss out on the Union’s annual Festivus Celebration! On December 21st from 9 -11 a.m. in the Union lobby, the Union Administration will be hosting Festivus for the Rest of Us, a free event for the entire University community.
19 years ago, Frank Costanza’s eccentricity led to the popularization of Festivus, the world’s greatest fake holiday. Created in a timeless Seinfeld episode, Festivus is a nondenominational celebration which observes the holiday season without frills or grandeur. Albeit tweaked slightly from the original Seinfeld episode, the Union’s Festivus celebration does feature a Festivus Pole, the Airing of Grievances and, the Feats of Strength.
Just like Seinfeld’s Festivus Pole, the Union displays a bare aluminum pole during the celebration, which per Frank Costanza, is chosen because of its striking opposition to the commercialization of highly decorated Christmas trees. The Union also takes a spin on the Airing of Grievances. Festivus is the time of year when you let your angst and annoyances all “hang out.” Guests are free to air their irritations at any time during the celebration on a whiteboard in the Union lobby. Originally, the Feats of Strength features the head of the household being wrestled and pinned to the floor. However, since Whit Hollis, the Union Director, would rather not be pinned to the floor, the Union instead has a feat of mental strength competition in which guests must find 5 pickle ornaments hidden throughout the Union lobby.
Of course, Festivus wouldn’t be complete without delicious food. The University of Utah’s Dining Services will be baking holiday treats for everyone who attends.
Don’t miss out on the fun before we leave campus until next year!