Festivus was popularized by ` ` Joe '' in the show 's ninth season . Instead , the pole and the holiday took on a life of their own . Since then , people have celebrated the anti - consumerism holiday . It was based on a real life tradition of Irish immigrant Dan Murphy .
Festivus was popularized by ` ` Joe '' in the show 's ninth season . Since then , people have celebrated the anti - consumerism holiday . It was based on a real life tradition of Irish immigrant Dan Murphy .