It's Dec. 23. Festivus for the rest of us.

[shereads]

The festivus pole has been erected in the dining room here at the decaying jungle compound. What happens now? I missed most of that episode. I think the head of the family is supposed to tell each person how he/she disappointed him this year, but I'm not sure how long the pole is supposed to stay up.

 

[shereads]

from today's Miami Herald:

Nativity scene attracts Festivus


BARTOW - (AP) -- When a church group insisted on putting a Nativity scene on Polk County public property, officials warned it might open the door to other religious, and not-so-religious, displays.

It turns out the warning was on the mark.

Since the Nativity was erected, displays honoring Zorastrianism and the fake holiday Festivus, featured on an episode of the TV show Seinfeld, have also appeared.

The Polk County Commission voted Wednesday to permit the Nativity scene to remain on the grounds of the administration building, across the street from the courthouse, but agreed to make that area a ''public forum'' open to any type of display.

The handmade creche, figures of Joseph and Mary in a lean-to with a baby Jesus lying between them in a manger, was erected Dec. 15 by Marvin Pittman, 66, a retired law enforcement officer and a member of the First Baptist Church of Bartow, and his Bible study group. They mounted it after county commissioners deadlocked on another church's request to permit such a display.

''The real spirit of Christmas is the birth of Christ,'' Pittman said.

And true to form, the site sprouted esoterica, including one display that read: ''Festivus for the Rest of Us -- Donated to Polk County by the Seinfeld Fan Club,'' a reference to the fake festival from the TV sitcom.

Another said: ''Zarathustra, Zoroaster -- Stella Darby.'' Zoroastrianism is described as the dualistic religion of ancient Persia based upon the struggles between good and evil.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

Did anyone erect a tent to hold a Saturnalia on the 21st of December, and if so, were the participants in the celebratory orgy exempt from prosecution on the grounds of freedom of religious expression?

 

[lucky-E-leven]

... pole has been erected in the dining room here at the decaying jungle compound. What happens now? ...

If memory serves, when a pole becomes erect in the dining room...the next thing to happen would likely be the fair maiden of said decaying jungle compound being bent over the dining room table and...well you get the idea.

Send the pooch on over and we'll do a sleepover with her tonight so you can have a little festivus privacy.

~lucky

 

[shereads]

The dog doesn't see very well.