National Grouch Day

It’s the one day of the year when it’s a little bit more acceptable to let that bad-tempered side show. Enjoy the fun of being prickly and crusty in celebration of National Grouch Day!

History of National Grouch Day

Beginning in 1969, Oscar the Grouch joined the cast of Sesame Street in delighting American children through the Children’s Television Network (CTN) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Always acting a bit grumpy and complaining a lot, Oscar’s name reveals his character.

However, as time passed on Sesame Street, a softer side of this fuzzy green puppet was also revealed, even though he continued to live in a garbage can and sing about how much he truly loved trash.

The origins of National Grouch Day are not specifically connected to Oscar the Grouch or Sesame Street, however. In fact, the day seems to have been created in 1976 when Bill and Helen Chase, of Chase’s Calendar of Events, were inspired by their granddaughter, Monica.

In sixth grade in Michigan at the time, Monica had a particularly grouchy teacher whose birthday was on October 15. So, as a practical joke, Monica and her friends dubbed this date as National Grouch Day – and the idea has stuck ever since.

As National Grouch Day grew in popularity, Sesame Street was appreciative of the idea and began to connect with it. And now, the day is delightfully celebrated by people all over the world whether in relation to Oscar the Grouch or simply poking fun at those people in their lives who are a little bit on the grumpy side.

Get ready to celebrate National Grouch Day! But, be sure not to enjoy it too much– always remember to be grouchy about it instead.

How to Celebrate National Grouch Day

Participating in and enjoying National Grouch Day doesn’t have to take a whole lot of effort. Especially for those who are rather cantankerous anyway! Consider some of these clever ideas for making the most out of this grumpy day:

Act Grouchy

Some people might choose to celebrate National Grouch Day by acting in a way that is grumpy, surly and rather cross. Of course, it’s all in good fun because even real grouches know not to take themselves too seriously. However, there is also a life lesson on this day that reminds kids (and adults) that it’s healthy to process negative emotions at times. 

Watch Sesame Street

Of course, the best way to get reminded of the original character is by watching episodes of Sesame Street – particularly those segments that feature Oscar the Grouch. And even though he’s perpetually gruff, his songs and antics are still quite funny for children and adults alike.

Avid Sesame Street fans will watch out for the episodes from the original season in which Oscar’s fur was actually orange at first. It wasn’t until he came back for the second season that Oscar’s fur had changed to green, with the explanation that he had gone on vacation in a very muddy swamp which turned him green.