Festivus: How Seinfeld’s anti-Christmas celebration of grievance airing and feats of strength became a cult phenomenon

And so Festivus came to pass, a secular, anti-commercial alternative to Christmas invented by the irascible Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) in a season nine episode of NBC’s all-conquering sitcom Seinfeld.

The original Festivus was inaugurated in New Jersey in 1966, the date chosen to commemorate O’Keefe’s first date with his future wife, Deborah.

As I rained blows upon him, I realised there had to be another way…”