Offbeat Observances: The Day Before the Holiday Chaos

December 23 is that strange stretch of the calendar where time stops meaning anything.

Work is pretend. Pants are optional. Every conversation starts with “So… are you done yet?” and ends with someone asking if there’s more wine. It’s the day before Christmas Eve Eve, which is not officially a thing—but emotionally, absolutely is.

And in true American fashion, we’ve decided that December 23 deserves not one, not two, but several completely unrelated holidays. Because if there’s one thing we do well in this country, it’s commitment to chaos.

Today’s trio: Festivus, National Roots Day, and National Pfeffernusse Day. Together, they form a near-perfect snapshot of who we are right before the holidays: sarcastic, sentimental, and one cookie away from losing all self-control.

Festivus: For the Rest of Us (And Especially for Today)

Ah yes. Festivus.

The holiday that looked at Christmas stress and said, “What if we just leaned into it?”

Born from sitcom lore and sustained entirely by collective burnout, Festivus is the anti-holiday holiday. No gifts. No glitter. Just an aluminum pole and the sacred ritual known as the Airing of Grievances.

And if there were ever a perfect day to air grievances, it’s December 23.

This is the day when packages are missing, plans are shifting, and someone definitely forgot to buy batteries. Festivus understands that pretending everything is magical when it’s clearly duct-taped together is exhausting.

Festivus gives us permission to say what we’re all thinking:
• The tree looks crooked.
• The schedule makes no sense.
• Someone will absolutely bring up politics tomorrow.

And instead of fighting it, Festivus invites us to laugh at it.

Bless this holiday for recognizing that sometimes the healthiest coping mechanism is a little humor and a lot of honesty.

National Roots Day: The Sentimental Turn We Didn’t See Coming

Just when Festivus has you fully committed to sarcasm, December 23 pivots hard into feelings.

National Roots Day is about ancestry, heritage, and remembering where you come from. Which, frankly, sneaks up on you around the holidays whether you like it or not.

This is the day you hear the same family stories for the hundredth time—and somehow, they still land. The day you notice how traditions were shaped by people who aren’t here anymore, yet somehow still very present.

Roots aren’t always tidy. They’re complicated. They include recipes passed down, habits inherited, and traits you swore you didn’t have until you caught yourself saying the exact same thing your parent used to say.

National Roots Day doesn’t demand a genealogy deep dive. It just nudges you to notice the invisible threads holding your family together.

And on December 23, when everyone is already on edge and nostalgic at the same time, that feels oddly perfect.

National Pfeffernusse Day: The Cookie With Main Character Energy

Then there’s National Pfeffernusse Day, because of course there is.

Pfeffernusse cookies—spiced, powdered, unapologetically old-world—are not flashy. They don’t scream for attention. They quietly sit on the plate until you take one bite and realize you’ve been underestimating them your entire life.

These cookies are a reminder of how deeply immigrant traditions are baked into American holidays. Somewhere along the line, a German spice cookie crossed the ocean and decided to make itself comfortable in American kitchens forever.

Pfeffernusse doesn’t try to compete with sugar cookies or gingerbread houses. It just shows up, does its job, and earns respect.

Honestly? Very American behavior.

Why These Three Holidays Actually Belong Together

At first glance, Festivus, Roots Day, and Pfeffernusse Day feel like three strangers forced to sit at the same holiday table.

But look closer.

Festivus represents our modern need to vent, laugh, and survive the pressure. Roots Day reminds us why the gathering matters in the first place. Pfeffernusse Day connects us to traditions that existed long before any of us were stressing over Amazon delivery windows.

Together, they tell the real story of December 23: a country trying to balance humor, heritage, and dessert while hurtling toward Christmas.

We are a people who complain loudly, love deeply, and express both emotions through food.

And frankly, that tracks.

A Modest Proposal for Observing December 23 Correctly

Here’s how to honor all three holidays at once.

Acknowledge what’s going wrong. That’s Festivus.
Appreciate where you came from. That’s Roots Day.
Eat something delicious that someone else’s great-grandmother perfected. That’s Pfeffernusse Day.

No decorations required. No perfection expected.

Just show up. Be human. Pass the cookies.

Because tomorrow will be louder, fuller, and more emotional. December 23 is the pause before the plunge.

And in its own weird, wonderful way, it deserves to be celebrated.

Bless December 23 for understanding the assignment.