Festivus first appeared in the Seinfeld episode 'The Strike,' which aired in 1997 as part of the show's ninth season. Writer Dan O'Keefe based the holiday on a real family tradition, and Jerry Stiller's Frank Costanza turned it into television legend with the aluminum pole, the airing of grievances and the feats of strength. Fans embraced it as a real December celebration, and every holiday season the memes, clips and quotes resurface online, keeping the joke alive long after the show ended.