Today is Presidents Day and everyone knows about that holiday. However, there is another event to celebrate.

Do a Grouch a Favor Day is observed every year on February 16 (which in 2026 falls on a Monday.

It’s a lighthearted, unofficial holiday dedicated to showering kindness on the grumpiest of your friends—think of it as a mission to bring a smiles to that cranky coworker who’s perpetually one bad coffee away from a meltdown, the family member who’s convinced the universe has it out for them, the neighbor who treats every day like a grouchy competition, or even that stranger whose face is locked in a permanent frown. The aim? Pull off the ultimate nice act to brighten their day and, just maybe, flip that permanent scowl into a bewildered grin!

The exact origins aren’t well-documented (like many fun “national days,” it likely emerged from calendars or online lists in recent decades), but it’s often linked to:

The classic Sesame Street character Oscar the Grouch — that trash-can-dwelling, grumbling green monster who’s famously anti-cheerful. Some sources jokingly suggest Big Bird might have “invented” it to cheer Oscar up!

A playful salute to all the curmudgeons, grumps, and professional sourpusses out there! We’ve all donned that cranky crown at some point—often after a day that feels like it won the award for ‘Most Agonizing’ or when the winter blues hit harder than an uninvited relative at the holidays.

How to Celebrate

The spirit is simple: perform a small act of kindness toward someone who’s acting grouchy. Ideas include:

• Hold the door, offer a genuine smile, or say something positive when they least expect it.
• Bring them coffee, a snack, or a funny note/meme to lighten the mood.
• Help with a small task (like carrying something heavy or listening without interrupting their rant).
• Pay it forward anonymously if the grouch is a stranger (e.g., cover their coffee at a drive-thru).
• If you’re feeling self-reflective, do yourself a favor—treat your own inner grouch with some self-kindness!

Even if the grouch acts like a grumpy cat in a bath, the simple act of kindness is like waving a magic wand of positivity. As one wise philosopher put it: “Doing a favor for a prickly pal might just flip their frown like a pancake, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a good pancake moment?”