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From mighty feats to full-scale fuming, it's fitting to find the fun of Festivus.

Feats of strength, a heartfelt airing of grievances, a lone metal pole — yes, Virginia, there is a Festivus. In fact, the do-it-your-way holiday popularized on "Seinfeld" is alive and well.

The fabled Festivus episode aired way back in December 1997, but it took root and lives on today in cities and towns across America, thriving in two new books and in events all over the country.

In its purest form, Festivus is truly the people's holiday, one that they own, unfettered by rules, leaders, miles of wrapping paper, bubble lights and — most of all — the dreaded tinsel.

"Festivus is completely flexible. There's no ruling force telling you what to do. Nobody owns it. And, it's cheap," says Allen Salkin, explaining the appeal of a holiday that is intentionally low-key, sarcastic and, well, basically anything else you'd like it to be.

Salkin is the author of the new book "Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us" (Warner Books, $14.95). It traces the roots of this grass-roots, American anti-holiday movement.

Most people associate it with the "Seinfeld" episode in which Frank Costanza, inspired by an ugly tug-of-war in a department store over a doll during the holidays, comes up with the idea for a new holiday for all people. He bans tinsel as too distracting. Feats of strength and the airing of grievances are central to his celebration.

Jerry Stiller, who played Frank Costanza, wrote in the foreword to Salkin's book: "There's something pure about Festivus, something primal, raw in the hearts of humans."

Daniel O'Keefe, co-writer of the "Seinfeld" episode, has another explanation in his new book, "The Real Festivus: The True Story Behind America's Favorite Made-up Holiday" (Perigee Books, $12.95).

It has an introduction by Jason Alexander, who played Frank's son, George Costanza, on "Seinfeld."

The real Festivus was started by O'Keefe's father, Dan O'Keefe Sr., in 1965 and was held through the 1970s and '80s, O'Keefe says. His father, a former Reader's Digest editor who is now retired, had read anthropology books while studying at Oxford. "He was interested in ceremony, ritual, magic and religion," O'Keefe says.

He also was looking for something more from the holidays. "He wanted a holiday mostly that wasn't political or religious in nature but based on family."

Their Festivus bore little resemblance to the "Seinfeld" version.

"It was very different from the TV holiday," says O'Keefe, now a comedy writer living in Los Angeles. "We streamlined it for laughs."

Their celebration had originally been held in February on the anniversary of his parents' first date — not Dec. 23, as it was in the "Seinfeld" episode.

"In reality it could happen any . . . time of the year, and that's what made it so terrifying," O'Keefe says. His family tape-recorded the events, which also included a meal (usually turkey), a clock, a bag, grievances and "some sort of peculiar, mournful ethnic music."

O'Keefe documents all of his family's Festivus celebrations in his book, which includes transcripts of the audio tapes. His mother has thoughtfully had these historic family recordings transferred to CDs.