Milwaukeeans air their grievances for Festivus
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Festivus is the parody holiday known from Seinfeld. Frank Costanza calls it "Festivus for the rest of us."
If you're sick of the commercial Christmas holiday and prefer to keep it real, Festivus is the day for you.
One popular Festivus activity is the "airing of grievances."
While people were out getting their last-minute holiday shopping done on Thursday, Dec. 23, we asked them to put that holiday cheer aside and tell us what's been bothering them this year.
"COVID man, COVID's a bummer," said one person.
We weren't too surprised that COVID came up a few times.
"Taking your life away for...how long has it been now? Two years-ish," another person added.
Airing grievances, according to Seinfeld, is supposed to be done with family.
"You gather your family around and tell them all of the ways they have disappointed you," said Costanza in one episode.
But a clinical social worker we spoke to recommends people avoid doing that.
"Airing grievances about each other around the holiday table may not be the best thing for your holiday dinners," said September Casteel, a clinical social worker with Rogers Behavioral Health.
CBS 58 still wanted to give them a chance to get it off their chest.
"Do you have any grievances you'd like to air?" we asked one person walking by. "Ha-ha, not on camera," he said.
"No snow," said Max on his way to get coffee at Colectivo. "I want a white Christmas."
Understandably, some were hesitant to let their grievances out on camera.
"Oh [I have] a few, but I'm not going to air them today," said another person.
Casteel says if someone in your life is upsetting you, it is important to have that tough conversation with them.
"But it should be done on a one-to-one basis and not in a group," said Casteel.
Most people out and about in Milwaukee Thursday were focused on the positives.
"I'm just grateful for my job and my family, and that I made it through Christmas and I have all my gifts already," said Kristen.