From Festivus to Life Day: The Best Made-Up Winter Holidays in Pop Culture
And a Happy Snoggletog to you too!
This time of year, the whole world seems to be celebrating something. Whether it’s Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or even just the winter solstice, winter holidays are special for many. Fictional characters are no different. Sure, there are fantastic holiday and wintry episodes of your favorite shows, but what about the fictional holidays that emerge from our favorite franchises? Some of these fake holidays are firmly rooted in the real world, and others are informed by the fantasy worlds they exist in, but either way, fans tend to join in on the festivities every year. We compiled a list of some exciting fictional winter holidays to add to your party planning list!
Chrismukkah, The O.C.
Thanks to Seth Cohen, we have a blended holiday that we can all celebrate. Enter Chrismakkuh! It’s a celebration that combines the traditions of Christmas and Hanukkah, popularized by The O.C. in Season 1, Episode 13, titled “The Best Chrismukkah Ever.” The Cohen family celebrates Chrismukkah with quirky traditions that honor both religions, including the lighting of a menorah alongside a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts. Of course, it’s the O.C., so there’s a side of drama with the holiday cheer as characters navigate romantic mishaps, family tensions, and the chaos of gift-giving. Beyond its humor and heart, the episode popularized Chrismukkah in pop culture, cementing it as a symbol of inclusivity and the creative blending of cultural traditions in a modern, multicultural family.
Festivus, Seinfeld
Season 9, Episode 10 of Seinfeld titled “The Strike” introduces the now-iconic holiday invented by Frank Costanza as an alternative to the commercialism of Christmas. Festivus, as he calls it, is celebrated with absurd traditions as eccentric as Frank himself: an unadorned aluminum pole (no tree), the annual “Airing of Grievances” where everyone gets to kvetch about the things that annoyed them in the past year, and the “Feats of Strength,” perhaps the most bizarre tradition. (It’s a wrestling match with the head of the household.) Look, we’re all stressed at the holidays and must confront our sometimes dysfunctional families. Festivus gives us permission to take a break from all the cheer and lean into the stress–but, in a joyful way.
Life Day, Star Wars
Every serious Star Wars fan knows about Life Day. It’s a Wookiee holiday that celebrates family, joy, and the interconnectedness of all living beings across the galaxy, so we can assume it really belongs to all of us. It was introduced in the Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on TV in 1978 in between the release of the original film and the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Originating on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, the holiday features rituals like the lighting of the Tree of Life, communal feasts, and the wearing of red ceremonial robes. And the holiday special is delightfully campy all around.
XMAS, Futurama
In Futurama, XMAS is a hilariously dystopian twist on the traditional holiday, and who doesn’t love that? In this world, XMAS is reimagined as a time of fear rather than festivity thanks to the rampaging Robot Santa who judges almost everyone as naughty. Instead of cozy gatherings, people barricade themselves indoors, hang bulletproof wreaths, and dread the arrival of Santa’s deadly sleigh. Somehow though, XMAS still highlights themes of friendship and found family, as the Planet Express crew often tries—sometimes successfully—to bring a little warmth and meaning back into a holiday that’s gone spectacularly off the rails. Honestly? Sounds like a good time.
Snowflake Day, Clone High
The 11th episode of Clone High is called “Snowflake Day: A Very Special Holiday Special.” Already, we know what we’re getting here: a comically over-the-top, politically correct winter holiday episode. Snowflake Day is created to replace every traditional celebration with a single, universally inoffensive event that leaves nobody out. The episode pokes fun at our society’s well-meaning attempts at inclusivity, which can often feel manufactured. This subversive cartoon gets it right, featuring elaborate rituals like the worship of the Hybrid Snowflake and exaggerated attempts to avoid offending any group—real or imagined. The absurdity is the point, and in true Clone High teen-drama parody fashion, it features character growth, awkward romance and some signature heartfelt moments in all of this chaotic charm.
Feast of Winter Veil, World of Warcraft
The Feast of Winter Veil is World of Warcraft’s signature winter holiday, a festive in-game event that mirrors real-world Christmas traditions while adding Azerothian twists. Players can decorate their garrisons or homes and participate in seasonal quests alongside iconic characters like Greatfather Winter and the mischievous Gnomeregan rogue, Gnolling the Snow. They can even eat festive holiday treats, toss snowballs, and exchange gifts! With whimsical activities, holiday-themed loot, and community celebrations, the Feast of Winter Veil is a fun tradition for players.
Merlinpeen, 30 Rock
We all know seasonal celebrations can be quite commercialized, especially coming from 30 Rock, the TV show set on the literal site of the most famous destination for Christmas tourists: Rockefeller Center. In Season 4, Episode 8, “Secret Santa,” the writers, frustrated with the office Secret Santa obligation, make up a religion complete with its own holiday to avoid having to participate. Verdukianism, the fake religion, forbids Secret Santa activities but instead celebrates Merlinpeen. The “holiday” features bizarre traditions, over-the-top decorations, and hilariously convoluted rules that perplex poor page Kenneth. Eventually, the writers get their comeuppance for their attempt to thwart a tedious office tradition.
Refrigerator Day, Dinosaurs
Remember the 90s sitcom Dinosaurs, the live action show about a regular dinosaur family just living their normal lives in the prehistoric era? We do. And one of their funniest episodes was about Refrigerator Day, a humorous and satirical take on workplace and consumer culture, imagined as a holiday celebrating the household appliance that defines modern life. They worship the refrigerator, kind of the way we exalt our Christmas trees in winter time. In typical Dinosaurs fashion, it exaggerates human—or dinosaur—obsessions with convenience and domesticity, turning a mundane object into the centerpiece of festivities, complete with tongue-in-cheek rituals and overblown reverence.
Yuleday, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings
Yuleday, in the world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, is a cheerful winter celebration observed by Hobbits in the Shire, reflecting their love of community, feasting, and simple pleasures. It’s not mentioned very much, but it is rather understood. It appears in the Hobbit after The Battle of Five Armies, and in Appendixes A and D of The Lord of the Rings. It’s actually two Yuledays: one at the end of one Shire year and another at the start of the next, December 20 and 21 (or, the winter solstice as we understand it). It’s a time for gathering with friends and family, sharing warm, hearty meals, exchanging small gifts, and enjoying the comforts of home, family and friends. Sounds familiar.
Yule, Dungeons & Dragons
Of course there’s a winter holiday in Dungeons & Dragons. Yule is often depicted as a festive winter holiday celebrated in many campaign settings. Yule draws inspiration from real-world solstice traditions, where adventurers and townsfolk partake in feasts, gift-giving, and magical ceremonies that honor the turning of the seasons, the triumph of light over darkness, and the bonds of community. Dungeon Masters sometimes use Yule-themed events to add flavor, humor, or moral lessons to their campaigns, blending merriment with opportunities for quests, mischief, or unexpected encounters. This makes Yule a lively and immersive part of the game world, which can be really fun during the actual holidays. Hmmm, sounds like our Holiday Hiatus at Remarkist…
Snoggletog, How to Train Your Dragon
Fire up your Snoggletog Log and get your Yak Nog ready! It’s time for some celebrating. On the Isle of Berk, Snoggletog began as a period of peace when the dragons leave for the season. But it evolved into a vibrant winter holiday where villagers decorate their homes, exchange gifts, and revel in their appreciation for their dragons. The holiday commemorates the end of the Viking-Dragon war, and the Snoggletog Pageant put on by the village children depicts their Viking history. Snoggletog embodies themes of friendship, community, and joy, much like our holiday traditions.
