GEORGETOWN — Baxter’s Brewhouse Inn embraces the silliness.
For the second year in a row, the Georgetown business celebrated Festivus on Dec. 23.
Featured in the popular sitcom “Seinfeld,” Festivus is a fake holiday that always falls two days before Christmas. The celebratory day, noted as “a Festivus for the rest of us” was invented by the character George Constanza’s father, Frank — played by Jerry Stiller. Stiller’s character came up with the idea after becoming fed up years ago with the commercialization of the holiday season. His epiphany comically occurred after he fought another man in a store over a toy doll during one Christmas.
The day is meant to be a reprieve from other commonly celebrated holidays during the month of December and includes several unique traditions.
“It’s one of those funny things where people love it,” Joseph Baxter, co-owner of the brewhouse and inn, said. “I think that may be part of the appeal about it is the silliness and they can do whatever they want because it’s Festivus. Who cares?”
This week, Joseph and Tina Baxter opened their doors to those who love the Seinfeld holiday and served plates with meatloaf, peas and gravy — a nod to the Festivus meal served in the show — and their honey brown ale named after the holiday. Outside, they placed a single metal pole, Festivus’s version of a Christmas tree.
Bill Diven, head brewer at Baxter’s, said he enjoys celebrating the holiday every year, which for him includes quoting scenes from the iconic episode on Facebook and having a meal and a drink with friends.
“I just always felt like — there’s Christmas Eve, there’s Christmas Day — that last day before those two, just do something that day. Just don’t work, take the day off and do something fun.”
And that is what the holiday has become, a day for relaxing and some goofy fun before the inevitable stress of the season.
The holiday even calls for an “airing of grievances,” which includes telling your family or friends all the ways they have disappointed you during that year. Joseph Baxter made sure as people walked in the door that they shared their own personal grievances with their family members, whatever those may be.
Even though the show ended over 25 years ago, Festivus celebrations are still held across the country, Joseph said. He attributes the holiday’s enduring popularity to the fact that the show was light-hearted and it was easy to relate to the characters.