The fictional holiday "Festivus," popularized in the long-running sitcom, Seinfeld, is being celebrated in Central New York. People are invited to gather Tuesday in front of the Utica Fire Department's Shepherd Place station at 3 p.m. to celebrate "Festivus."
The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports the event comes after a homemade sign reading “Happy Birthday Jesus we love you” displayed in front of the station received national attention and drew criticism from the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation, which sent a letter to Mayor Robert Palmieri asking him to direct the fire department to remove the sign immediately.
Fire chief Russell Brooks meanwhile, told the paper that he would take the sign down "right after the first of the year."
Festivus was made popular by the character Frank Costanza in a 1997 episode of “Seinfeld.” The holiday came about after Costanza became upset with materialism and commercialization during the holiday season.
