On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, social media users across Canada and beyond embraced the secular holiday of Festivus, popularized by the iconic sitcom "Seinfeld." The day was marked by the traditional "airing of grievances," where people publicly voice their disappointments from the past year as a counterpoint to Christmas commercialism.
The Seinfeld Legacy and 2025's Festivus Spirit
The tradition originates from a classic 1997 "Seinfeld" episode, where character Frank Costanza, played by the late Jerry Stiller, invented Festivus. The celebration features a bare aluminum pole, the airing of grievances, and feats of strength. Stiller's line, "I got a lot of problems with you people! And now you're going to hear about it!" became a rallying cry for the 2025 event.
HuffPost prompted its audience to share who or what let them down in 2025, sparking a wave of responses that highlighted widespread public frustration. The grievances spanned from personal finances to major institutions.
A Cascade of Complaints: From Groceries to Government
The cost of living emerged as a dominant theme. "Everything’s so expensive, I may have to take up Festivus Pole Dancing as a side hustle," joked one Facebook user named EP Roxout. Kimberly Porter, a high school teacher, specifically cited "Grocery $$$" as a key grievance.
Political and institutional criticism was rampant. Users listed a wide array of targets including Congress, SCOTUS, POTUS, the Trump Cabinet, DOJ, and various federal agencies. One user, @baconluvah, criticized institutions for "showing their true colors and bending the knee." Specific figures like "The president" and entities like "America" were also named.
Billionaires, MAGA, and Personal Struggles
The grievances extended to broader social and economic issues. One user, CaliEaglesFlying, directed their Festivus rage at billionaires, stating, "I've got a lot of problems with billionaires, and now you're gonna hear about it!" They criticized political meddling and the influence of wealth on elections.
Other complaints were a mix of the serious and the personal. Kate Sometimes listed grievances ranging from "The entire MAGA movement" and "indifference to climate change" to the existence of lima beans and the fact that "bagels, potato chips & crackers make me fat." Her "feat of strength" was simply still being here.
While the tradition is rooted in humour, the 2025 Festivus airing of grievances served as a pointed, crowdsourced snapshot of public sentiment, reflecting anxieties over economics, governance, and daily life as the year drew to a close.
