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Festivus

December 23, 2011 by · Comments Off on Festivus 

Festivus, Happy Festivus! Where do you keep the Festivus pole? Are you ready for the feats of strength and the “Airing of Grievances?” The annual holiday, created on the sitcom “Seinfeld”, celebrates the holiday season without commercialism or gifts.

On Dec. 23, 1783, Gen. George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the victorious Continental Army. Britain’s King George III said of the resignation: “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”

On this day in 1823, “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, also known as “The Night Before Christmas”, was published anonymously. Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), a professor at Columbia College, later admitted to writing the poem and is widely believed to be its author.

In 1859, however, the family of farmer Henry Livingston, Jr. came forward and declared that Moore was not the author and that Livingston had told his children the story in 1807.

Harry Shearer of “The Simpsons” and “Spinal Tap” turns 68 today. Other birthdays include retired U.S. General Wesley Clark (b.1944), CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves and French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (b.1967).

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