Today is...

[IceWizard]

Friday 23 Dec 2016

Happy Festivus



Everyone likes to enjoy the holidays in their own special ways, but one holiday stands out more than the rest.

Festivus, a holiday that seems as a joke but in all reality is a popular holiday growing through the masses in the United States.

Let’s dig deeper into the past to find the origins of this plain, yet popular holiday.

History of Festivus

Ironically, Festivus has a very odd and amusing start. It was conceived by author and editor Daniel O’Keefe and was celebrated as early back as 1966 by him and his family.

But, how did Festivus become so popular if it was just a family tradition?

To find that out, we must move forward in time to an episode of the famous television show Seinfeld. While the holiday is extremely popular among people today, the first time Festivus was mentioned in American culture was in the episode of Seinfeld called “The Strike”, but there’s more to the name of Festivus than just a referenced television episode, right?

Indeed there is, because the word “festive” is derived from the Latin word “Festivus”. Sound familiar?

It should. Festivus is an adjective meaning “excellent, jovial, and lively” which in turn derives from Festus, which means “joyous; holiday; feast day”.

Plus, it brings one to think, maybe Festivus is to prove that we as humans don’t need material objects to be happy on a holiday, but all we really need is excellent company, jovial attitudes, and lively music to make the holidays the best we could have.



And



Roots Day



Many people are uninterested in where their ancestors came from…until they start researching the topic deeper. And then suddenly it turns out that their family history was a long and fascinating one, and they become obsessed with finding out everything possible about where their forefather come from that they talk the ear off of anyone even remotely interested.

Maybe they were related to a famous person who made a significant discovery or took part in an important battle or other historical event?

People have been migrating to all different parts of the world for hundreds of years in search of a better place to live, worship and raise their families, motivated by everything from religious prosecution to hunger and poverty in their own countries, to taking part in great wars that made our world what it is today, so it stands to reason that everyone would find something interesting about their own family history.

Your parents, grandparents, etc. and their decisions are what made you who you are today, and had they made different decisions than they did, then it would not have only been their lives that would have ended up affected.

Many times questions that have plagued us our entire lives can be answered with some solid family history research, and even spending just a few hours might reveal some valuable information.

The History of Roots Day

One of the most important aspects of Root Day is that it falls directly before Christmas, thus illustrating the importance and meaning of family during these times especially. Holidays are traditionally spent with any and all kinds of family, so it is only fitting that a holiday celebrating or ancestral heritage should fall during the same period.

Roots Day has been celebrated by many for over 40 years.

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December 23 Birthdays


Corey Haim - (1971-2010)



Eddie Vedder - 52



Naked Cowboy - 46



Susan Lucci - 70






December 23rd

2009: Metallica’s self-titled fifth album became the biggest selling album of the Soundscan era since Nielsen Soundscan began tracking album sales for the Billboard 200 album chart in May of 1991. Since its release in August of 1991, it’s sold over 15,620,000 copies.

2006: It was reported that U2 singer Bono would receive honorary knighthood from the U.K. in recognition of his contribution to music and humanitarian work.

1999: Unemployed musician Cristin Keleher broke into George Harrison’s home on the Hawaiian island Maui. Keleher made herself at home ordering pizza, drinking root beer, doing her laundry and calling her mother in New Jersey before authorities arrived and arrested her. Keleher spent four months in jail for burglary and theft.

1996: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx married Baywatch star Donna D’Errico. The couple separated in 2006 and divorced in 2007.

1995: Pearl Jam debuted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “I Got Id” which featured Neil Young on lead guitar.

1987: Roger Waters and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd reached an agreement where Gilmour could continue to use the Pink Floyd name and Waters would receive royalties for trademarks such as the flying pig and retained the rights to The Wall.

1978: The Cars peaked at number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their second single “My Best Friend’s Girl”.

1964: The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown on a flight to Houston for a concert. Wilson retired from touring, but remained in the band.

1959: Chuck Berry was arrested and charged with violating the Mann Act after taking a 14 year old girl across state lines. Berry was initially convicted and sentenced to five years in prison, but due to Judge George H. Moore Jr. making racist comments, Berry was freed.



Birthdays:

Jorma Kaukonen - Guitarist for Jefferson Airplane born in 1940

Harry Shearer - (Derek Smalls) - Bassist for Spinal Tap born in 1943

Ron Bushy - Drummer for Iron Butterfly born in 1945

Luther Grosvenor - Guitarist for Spooky Tooth, Stealers Wheel and Mott the Hoople born in 1946

Graham Bonnet - Singer for Rainbow born in 1947

Dave Murray - Guitarist for Iron Maiden born in 1956

Eddie Vedder - Singer for Pearl Jam born in 1964