The Strike

"The Strike" is the 166th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the tenth episode of the ninth and final season. It aired on December 18, 1997. This episode features and popularized the holiday of Festivus. In this episode, Jerry dates a woman who looks attractive sometimes and ugly at other times, Kramer returns to his old job at a bagel shop, and George gets out of buying Christmas gifts for his co-workers with fake donations to a made-up charity. TV Guide ranked this episode number three on its "Top 10 Holiday Episodes" list. Plot At Tim Whatley's Hanukkah party, Elaine gives a man named Steve her default fake phone number when he hits on her. She realizes she wrote it on the back of a card showing she purchased 23 submarine sandwiches. Determined to get her free sandwich, she goes to the off-track betting parlor whose phone number is her fake number. The clerks at the betting parlor flirt with Elaine, prompting her to give the number for H&H Bagels. She goes to the bagel shop and waits to receive Steve's call there. The minimum wage is raised, effectively ending the 12-year strike at Kramer's employer, H&H Bagels, so he returns to work. After learning about Festivus from George and Jerry, Kramer becomes fascinated with the concept and meets with Frank Costanza, who invented the holiday to get out of the pandemonium of Christmas shopping. Kramer requests to have time off work to celebrate Festivus. His request is denied, so he goes back on strike, picketing outside the store and sabotaging the bagel machine, causing a steam vent to burst inside the store. Not wanting to miss Steve's call, Elaine remains inside. She goes to meet Steve for her sandwich card. Turned off by Elaine's steam-drenched appearance, he makes an excuse to leave and gives her a fake phone number.