Whiner’s Day

What the day is

Whiner's Day is observed on December 26, the day after Christmas. It is a humorous, unofficial occasion with no documented founder, built on the observation that by the day after the holidays a lot of people have something to complain about. The gift is the wrong size, the relatives stayed too long, the leftovers are running out.

The spirit of the day is gentle teasing rather than genuine grievance. It gives people permission to groan about small things, and then to move past them.

Origin and background

The origin of the day is not recorded, but the timing is easy to explain. December 26 is when many people return or exchange gifts, face crowded stores and settle back from the build-up of the holidays. The mild letdown is common, and it often shows up as irritability.

Complaining itself is a mixed habit. Psychologists who study it say that a brief vent to someone who listens can relieve stress, while repeated rumination, going over the same grievance, tends to make people feel worse. The most useful kind of complaint is aimed at a fix: it names a problem and asks for something specific. Complaining just to join a chorus tends to sour a mood without changing anything.

That is the quiet logic behind the day's usual advice, which is to be grateful for what you do have, such as friends, family and a warm place to eat leftovers.

How to take part

• Hold a whine and cheese party: invite friends, serve wine or grape juice with cheese, and give everyone two minutes to complain about something trivial.
• Exchange an unwanted gift politely, or pass it to someone who will enjoy it.
• Write down three things from the season that you are glad about, as a counterweight.
• Try a constructive complaint, such as a polite note to a business about a service problem, with a clear request.
• Laugh at yourself. The best whining is exaggerated enough that everyone can see the joke.