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Top Comments 12-20-07 – Festivus Edition

by carolita

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Thu Dec 20, 2007 at 07:46:05 PM PDT

Last night pfiore8 wrote a delightful diary on the interesting and wonderful things about Christmas. I was nearly a Christmas baby, but for one of the few times in my life, I was early. Four days early. Perhaps that is one reason I have come to prefer celebrating Festivus, usually in conjunction with my birthday.

Don't get me wrong -- I certainly enjoy many of the trappings of Christmas. And by next week, I will be in Mexico celebrating Christmas with my husband's family. For the past week I have been decking my halls (and a few other rooms), wrapping gifts, polishing the pole, and getting ready for my big Festibirthday celebration.

This morning, Bill in Portland Maine reminded me that I have to get started on my Airing of Grievances List. He is wa-a-ay ahead of me, but fortunately, I have aworksheet, Good thing, too, ‘cause time is running out. One of the great things about making your own holiday (as opposed to those "official" ones sanctioned by the government or some church) is that you can celebrate it whenever you want.

The other great thing about Festivus is you can celebrate any way you want. My personal tradition involves gathering together as many people as we can fit into a van and driving around ooohing and aaahhhing over the holiday lights on Dec. 21. Sometimes we sing carols, we always laugh a lot, and then we go back to my house for hot chocolate and other festivities.


Of course, for traditionalists there is the Festivus pole, the Festivus Feats of Strength, and the Festivus meal (meatloaf), accompanied by the Festivus wine.

But Festivus began without these trappings. It was the creation of Daniel O’Keefe, an editor at Reader’s Digest.

Seinfeld writer Daniel O'Keefe, author of The Real Festivus, said his father -- who was disillusioned by the commercialization of Christmas" -- started it, and he adapted it. Initially, O'Keefe said, "Festivus was a celebration of my parents' first date.

The real holiday was a floating holiday, O'Keefe said, adding that the kids would come home from school to find odd ethnic music playing. There was always a clock in a bag, though O'Keefe said he never figured out the significance. After the three boys wrestled and Dad recited odd poems, joke gifts would be exchanged.

His son, Daniel, a writer on the Seinfeld show, introduced Festivus to the world in 1997 in an episode titled "The Strike." Since then, Festivus has grown. In 2005 around 700 people participated in Festivus festivities in Springfield, IL. In New York in 2006, the Pink Pony hosted the first-ever Festivus-Chrismukkah smack-down, featuring  Allen Salkin, author of Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us vs. Gersh Kuntzman, author of Chrismukkah: The Official Guide to the World's Most-Beloved Holiday.

So whenever you can, in whatever way you choose, celebrate Festivus with the rest of us. Happy Holidays!

Now before we get to tonight’s comments, here is a word from our sponsor:

An excellent way to celebrate Festivus is by cruising around Daily Kos, spreading mojo and making comments. When you find a comment that you think everyone should read, send a link to it to:

                             topcomments at gmail dot com

Be sure to tell us your Daily Kos pseudonym so we can give you credit for the nomination. Thank you for your support.

And tonight’s nominees:

From Neon Vincent

Randgrithr provides a reality check in hannah’s Cyber Warriors.

From Cali Scribe

xenubarb reminds us who the real Christians are in MantisOahu's Ryan White's Lawyers Respond to Mike Huckabee.

From 4Freedom

Great Schwatzenegger comment: For CA activists, it's immediately obvious that the most charitable thing you can say about Arnold is he doesn't pee on the carpet when the voters muzzle him – from Pacific John's diary Wanker of the Day.

From Spathiphyllum

Bill W's  hilariously true comment from jdoragh's dairy Is Rudy Pulling Out?

From Hardhat Democrat

TruthOfAngels replies to a 'non-voter' in *Marcion’s A Non-voters Diary.

From Rachel Griffiths

Hardhat Democrat was hard at work today. First with this comment and then recognizing the mother of all stupid arguments in my Cloned meat and dairy diary.

From taylormattd

Angry White Democrat explains why the hysteria over Congress passing an extension of SCHIP is flat wrong from Lunkhead’s F*CK!!!!!!! THE DEMS CAVE ON S-CHIP!!!

From me

Jeffrey Feldman has a funny description of  a hypothetical Repub smear campaign against Mother Teresa. At least he thought it was hypothetical, until alizard linked to the actual smear campaign against Mother Teresa in *Bob Johnson's diary.

In the same diary, CTReformedRep has some sad truth about how many people select a presidential candidate to vote for.

DemCurious  apparently took the day off from work to comment on DKos -- there were interesting comments everywhere:


Cali Scribe nails the huge difference between Jesus' teachings and the Huckster's  messages in MantisOahu' Ryan White's Lawyers Respond to Mike Huckabee.

Tonight's Top Mojo, from Tonight's Top Mojo Hero, Sardonyx:
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and Cheers and Jeers:

  1) She is the LEAST electable. by Bob Johnson — 229
  2) But You Don't Understand by opinionated — 145
  3) She'll probably know more about ... by Meteor Blades — 118
  4) True, but... by redhaze — 95
  5) Done. by Heiuan — 83
  6) Say it again: by drewfromct — 78
  7) Yes, a relentlessly positive by TomP — 73
  8) Still a common practice by madaprn — 73
  9) Both Edwards and Obama will attract Indies by ParaHammer — 71
10) This is really long,,,, by Miss Blue — 71
11) Look, Meteor, I'm nothing else if not practical. by Bob Johnson — 69
12) Another piece of legislation passed by FishOutofWater — 69
13) I'm quite jealous by turneresq — 68
14) I love your willingness to brave the sling ... by Meteor Blades — 65
15) As long as it's not shabbani ... by Meteor Blades — 64
16) My wife was living in the Co-op by Walt starr — 64
17) wow by Redstateresident — 62
18) She's adorable... by kredwyn — 61
19) Thanks. by Adam B — 54
20) But if we only had 67 votes... by malharden — 54
21) A personal fave from my Chinese / Jewish uncle by JK Minnesota — 54
22) I like other candidates, but this is why by alasmoses — 54
23) And the Republicans crow about it by Bill White — 53
24) Why does the GOP Election Fraud story by ccyd — 52
25) Well if that is all it is, what a total waste of by Norwegian Chef — 52
26) I think this is what Markos calls . . . by nyceve — 52
27) Gee, gosh, thanks. by Adam B — 51
28) I think by TomP — 49
29) Watch this. It truly is moving. by TomP — 49
30) my fav quote from Raymond by BriVT — 48
31) . . . and Harry bar the door by bumblebums — 48
32) totally by andgarden — 48

Top Mojo with No Exclusions:

  1) Tips, Recs, Etc. by Adam B — 307
  2) My tip--follow this story in Blue Hampshire by Betsy Devine — 243
  3) of course I was kidding earlier by clammyc — 238
  4) She is the LEAST electable. by Bob Johnson — 229
  5) If you could spend a minute or two on this . . . by nyceve — 218
  6) Tips for a positive message... by be inspired — 210
  7) Tip Jar by LunkHead — 207
  8) Tip Jar - 20 December by Jerome a Paris — 170
  9) I am not suggesting you forgive him, but by drational — 150
10) Tips for tougher better Democrats by Leslie H — 149
11) But You Don't Understand by opinionated — 145
12) They are salivating about wading through Clinton by duha — 134
13) Mazel Tov, Meteor Blades :) n/t by Trix — 132
14) TIPS for progressive change by JustAngry — 124
15) She'll probably know more about ... by Meteor Blades — 118
16) And am I too late for TIPS???? by MrSandman — 110
17) Tips... by Muleskinner — 108
18) Tip jar by Brandon Friedman — 101
19) True, but... by redhaze — 95
20) Tips/Flames by hummingbird4015 — 95
21) Tip Jar by Valtin — 90
22) Tips for Change by Populista — 90
23) C&J Thor's Day Edition by Phil N DeBlanc — 87
24) Done. by Heiuan — 83
25) Great diary by concernednyer2005 — 83
26) Thor s Day Greetings from Nor Cal!!! by Predictor — 82
27) Say it again: by drewfromct — 78
28) Tip jar by quaoar — 77
29) tips by jamess — 75
30) Yes, a relentlessly positive by TomP — 73
31) Still a common practice by madaprn — 73

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