Everyone loves holidays, right? In fact, we love them so much that we even celebrate holidays that are completely made up! Yes, in fact, here is a complete list of our favorite made up holidays celebrated in December. We don’t want you to miss out, after all.
Festivus (Seinfeld)
Yes, perhaps the most famous of December’s made up holidays is Festivus for the rest of us! It was Frank Costanza, father of George Costanza, that came up with Festivus as a secular alternative to the very commercial Christmas season. And while the parody holiday was originally just part of the show, it’s been celebrated in real life ever since, and has outlasted Seinfeld itself. So this December 23, break out that aluminum Festivus pole, test yourself with “Feats of Strengths,” and get ready for a dinner that is made exciting by the traditional “Airing of Grievances,” during which you tell all of your family and friends how much they disappointed you all year long. This might take awhile.
Chrismukkah (The OC)
Even if you’ve never heard of this holiday, you can guess exactly what it’s about, right? Created by Seth Cohen, this hybrid celebration blends Christmas and Hanukkah in the best way possible. Now you don’t need to insult half of your family or choose between your Christian and Jewish roots. Instead, go all out with a nine day long Chrismukkah celebration, with eight days of presents and one day of lots of presents, punctuated by family and candle lighting intervals. Treat your inner child with a hybrid super holiday that’s almost totally focused on presents? Yes, please.
Treat Yo Self Day (Parks and Recreation)
Is Treat Yo Self Day in December? Sure, because it’s whenever you want or need it to be. Donna and Tom, the most famously selfish and narcissistic residents of Pawnee, created this holiday for themselves, basically. Feel like getting something really nice for yourself? In need of some pampering, or an all out day of rest? Have a list of too-pricey luxury goods that you’d really love to have? It must be Treat Yo Self Day! All of the sudden, “It’s the best day of the year,” as Donna might say.
Festival of the Bells (Fraggle Rock)
Hey, made up holidays are for made up creatures, too. As you probably already know, everything about Fraggle Rock was all about happy times and good vibrations, and the Festival of the Bells was no exception. Celebrated around the time of the Winter Solstice, the Fraggles kept their Rock moving and got their festival going by ringing mini bells in unison and doing the Weebabeast dance (weeba weeba!). All of this bell-ringing, singing, and dancing wakes up the Great Bell that lies in the heart of the Rock. And in a classic Jim Henson move, the Fraggles forgo the materialistic side of winter holidays and give each other the same pebble as a gift again and again.
Yaksmas Eve (Ren & Stimpy)
Like most aspects of Ren and Stimpy, Yaksmas is satiric. Obviously, it takes aim at Christmas, with Stimpy playing the role of the hopeful child who believes that the Yaksmas version of Santa and his reindeer, Stinky Wizzleteats and his Shaven Yak are real. Ren plays the role of the adult who thinks it’s all silly. For Stimpy, Yaksmas Eve is filled with joy, hope, and meat by-products and pre-chewed gum, which are traditional Yaksmas fare. Stimpy waits eagerly for Stinky Wizzleteats to visit, and leaves out wrinkled chicken livers for Ol’ Saint Wizzleteats, hoping for gifts on Yaksmas morning. Caution: we don’t recommend that you consume meat by-products of unknown origin at home.
Fridge Day (Dinosaurs)
Fridge Day is really a way to joke about and explain the entire premise of Dinosaurs: if it wasn’t for the refrigerator, Dinosaurs in general and the Sinclair family in particular would be forced to roam the land, looking for food. However, thanks to their fridge, the Sinclairs are happy suburban dinosaurs living paycheck to paycheck like the rest of us, rather than off the land. On this day that celebrates the most important dinosaur invention, the refrigerator, carols are sung, houses are decorated, and gifts are exchanged. Who knew that there were refrigerators on Pangea? (We did, because we watched the show.)
Conclusion
With this many awesome made up holidays in December, it’s hard to remember why we bother with the real ones! Okay, maybe these aren’t better than what we’ve already got, but they’re definitely amazing! Do yourself a favor and celebrate at least one made up holiday this December.