Curmudgeons Day Date in the current year: January 29, 2026

According to Merriam-Webster, a curmudgeon is “a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man”. The term usually refers to a consistent temperament rather than a temporary bad mood. Curmudgeons are habitually grumpy, irritable, or cynical and frequently complain or find fault with others or with modern habits and ideas.

Depending on the context, the word “curmudgeon” may have mildly negative connotations, but it can also carry humor or affection. While the word implies stubbornness, pessimism, and resistance to change, it can also suggest blunt honesty, independence, or a refusal to be superficial. In many contexts, a curmudgeon is seen as an eccentric or cantankerous figure rather than a truly unpleasant one, particularly when age, experience, or wit soften the judgment.

The origins of Curmudgeons Day are unclear, but it is known why it is celebrated on January 29. This date is the birthday of W.C. Fields, an American actor and comedian known for his stage and screen persona of a misanthropic, hard-drinking curmudgeon. This persona was generally identified with Fields himself and maintained by his studios’ publicity departments, although the reality was more complicated than that.

In real life, Fields did share some traits with the character, such as a cynical outlook. However, he was not simply “playing himself”. His stage persona exaggerated his darker, more abrasive tendencies, creating a comic mask, while his private personality was more complex and less uniformly hostile than his public image suggested.

This reinforces the idea behind Curmudgeons Day: real people are inevitably more complex than stereotypes suggest. Even those who typically behave like curmudgeons are capable of warmth, generosity, and loyalty, especially toward those they love or respect.

If you know any curmudgeons, celebrate Curmudgeons Day by surprising them with a random act of kindness – it might make them less grumpy! If you don’t know any curmudgeons, you can still celebrate by watching movies featuring curmudgeonly characters, which are always entertaining, especially when played by experienced actors who can add nuance.

Examples include John and Max from Grumpy Old Men (played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, respectively); Otto from A Man Called Otto (played by Tom Hanks); George from Dennis the Menace (played by Walter Matthau); Carl Fredricksen from Up (voiced by Ed Asner); Walt Kowalski from Gran Torino (played by Clint Eastwood); Melvin Udall from As Good as It Gets (played by Jack Nicholson); Marley from Home Alone (played by Roberts Blossom); and Mr. Curry from the Paddington films (played by Peter Capaldi). Several incarnations of the Doctor from the cult sci-fi television series Doctor Who also fit the bill: the First Doctor, played by William Hartnell, and the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi.