The Christmas season can be culturally complicated in a society with diverse beliefs and traditions. Most people just want to share the spirit of love, caring and maybe some eggnog, but it’s never quite that simple.
So it was for Austin saxophonist and bandleader Paul Klemperer. “For years I did an inclusive Season of Light music show. It seemed to make sense, partly because of my own mixed Christian/Jewish family background. But over the years it started to feel a little artificial, one-size-fits-all. Then I tried a Festivus show and it all fell together.”
Festivus, the fictitious holiday featured on the Seinfeld show, is the creation of writer Dan O’Keefe and his father Daniel who, according to family lore, came up with the idea in 1966. An antidote to the commercialism of Christmas, Festivus involves no gift-giving and features only an unadorned aluminum pole.
Paul Klemperer’s Festivus Celebration took this idea and ran with it, turning the occasion into a full-fledged variety show with an underlying purpose, raising funds for a good cause. From 2013-2022 this included donations to The Austin Children’s Shelter (SAFE Alliance). Since 2023, the event has been produced by Paul’s nonprofit Creative SEA, and it was decided to expand the concept to the Texas Festivus Celebration, to bring the culturally inclusive message to a wider audience.
Each year has a theme. For 2024 it was “Fighting The Ennui Within!” For 2025, the rallying cry is “The Poles Are In!” The show mixes humor, music and dance, and the audience is encouraged to sing along. “I feature some of the best musicians in Austin, who happen to be some of my best friends as well,” says Klemperer. “We play a mix of jazz, blues, soul, Latin, international pop, and more. Music from all over the world becomes part of our shared heritage, and we celebrate that unity in diversity. Plus all the Festivus songs, of course.”
Festivus 2025 includes the Festivus Celebration cabaret show on 12/14, and the Festivus Dance Party on 12/19, to wind up the season in style.