October 15 is National Grouch Day

Today just might be my day! According to the National Day Calendar:

National Grouch Day on October 15th sends out notices to all the grouches of the world to be their truest grouch. If you are a grouch, today is your special day. According to Sesame Street Magazine, the day celebrates all grouches and their way of life.

Sometimes grumps give backhanded compliments. “Your house looked horrible until you painted it.” Other times they don’t give them at all. Noise, silence, general activity makes a grouch generally unpleasant.

As per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a grouch is described as:

(1) a person who complains frequently or constantly or (2) a habitually irritable or complaining person

It seems that a grouch may be happy (although they would never admit it) only when others are unhappy and grouchy. It is then that they feel most comfortable with having others share in their grumpy, cantankerous, surly world with them.

I’m sure there are people who feel I am the epitome of a “Grouch.” That may be the case in certain circumstances, however, that isn’t always the case. I started to make a list of Famous Grouches and I don’t think I’m as bad as they are!

Oscar the Grouch is probably the most famous grouch. He’s really kind of disgusting. Living in that trash can surrounded by rotting and smelly stuff would make anyone grouchy. I always loved that he used the term, “Scram!”

The Grinch is an overlooked grouch. Yes, he changed his attitude at the end of the story, but here’s a dude who wants to ruin a major holiday for everyone else just because he hates it. He found joy in making others miserable.

stern looking mature man in victorian costume carrying a cane . Model is wearing a dark suit , top hat, glasses and prosthetic make up , the look created is also similar to a Dickens victorian type character .

Ebenezer Scrooge is much like the Grinch. He has a change of heart and attitude at the end of his story, too. However, he was just a miserable man to be around. His whole disposition was grouchy!

Grumpy the Dwarf from Snow White was just an old Grump. Happy was his opposite. I’m guessing his personality would have been the same whether he was called Grumpy or Grouchy.

Speaking of Grumpy, I suppose you have to include the Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau characters from Grumpy Old Men. It is important to point out that they were happy making each other miserable, so while grumpy, not always grouchy.

Two of my favorite grumpy/grouchy old men could be found each week in the balcony of the Muppet Show. Statler and Waldorf were wonderful hecklers who enjoyed tossing insults at the acts and guest stars and offering up not so pleasant reviews and comments.

This list goes on and on…

Fred Sanford