SpongeBob fans celebrate Annoy Squidward Day on February 15 every year. Those who watch the famous show regularly are familiar with Squidward, the unsatisfied co-worker of SpongeBob, and how annoyed he is with the antics of his all-too-cheerful co-worker. Annoy Squidward Day is actually a reference to one of the episodes in which Squidward becomes exasperated by SpongeBob and declares it to be Annoy Squidward Day. Fans seem to have picked on this joke and turned it into an annual holiday in real life. The day gives fans an opportunity to celebrate their love for these delightful characters and come up with creative ways to mark this holiday.
History of Annoy Squidward Day
In 1989, after joining the Ocean Institute, Stephen Hillenburg created an unpublished comic book, “The Intertidal Zone,” which he used to teach visiting students about undersea life. Some of the characters in this comic book evolved to characters that will eventually appear in SpongeBob SquarePants. He tried several times to get the comic published, but no publishing company was interested in his ideas.
Hillenburg went on to work with Joe Murray, the creator of Rocko’s Modern Life, as producer and creative director. During this period, he developed all the characters in SpongeBob SquarePants and got the idea to turn it into an animated series. In 1997, Hillenburg pitched SpongeBob SquarePants to Nickelodeon executives. Nickelodeon loved it, and Hillenburg and his team were given funding and two weeks to write the first episode.
On May 1, 1999, Nickelodeon previewed the series and officially premiered it on July 17, 1999. The first season was released in that same year, and one of the episodes in that season was ‘Employee of the Month.’ Annoy Squidward Day first appeared in that episode as part of a joke.
In the episode, someone asked Squidward, “What day is it?” Being a character that is easily irritated, Squidward replied, “Annoy Squidward Day.” SpongeBob laughed at that response and said, “No, silly, that is on the 15th,” pointing to the calendar. In fact, on every 15th of that month, Mr. Krabs gives out the Employee of the Month Award. But that did not stop fans from turning it into an actual holiday, celebrated on February 15.
Annoy Squidward Day timeline
Stephen Hillenburg creates "The Intertidal Zone," a comic book that became the precursor of SpongeBob SquarePants.
The first pilot show of the series is pitched to Nickelodeon.
Annoy Squidward Day is first mentioned in one of the episodes released in the first season.
Obama claims SpongeBob as his favorite cartoon character.
Annoy Squidward Day FAQs
What are Squidward's powers and abilities?
Squidward is actually smarter than SpongeBob and even Mr. Krab. Like SpongeBob, Squidward has been shown to be quite fragile due to his soft bones. Squidward is very durable — in one episode, he survived a nuclear explosion.
Who is Squidward's father?
Squidward J. Q. Tentacles was born to Jeff and Mrs. Tentacles. His father raised him right and loved him very much, as Squidward mentions in the episode, Krab Borg.
What does Squidward look like?
Squidward is a light turquoise octopus with purple suction cups at the end of his tentacles. He has six limbs in total, two being arms, and four being legs, which tend to make the shape of a plus sign when he stands in place.
Why does SpongeBob annoy Squidward?
SpongeBob is a cheery sponge that is almost always happy, in contrast to Squidward, a classic grouch, who believes he should be living a better life. That SpongeBob is always cheerio, despite living a mediocre life, annoys Squidward.
Did Squidward leave SpongeBob?
Yes, he did. Before seasons 8 and 9, Squidward moved out of Bikini Bottom to finally live his best life away from his annoying neighbors, SpongeBob and Patrick Star.
Annoy Squidward Day Activities
Host a SpongeBob movie night
If you are a true SpongeBob fan, then you will surely enjoy watching a SpongeBob movie. The “SpongeBob SquarePants” franchise has a total of three full-length movies, with a couple of spin-off movies as well. You can easily watch these movies through online rental and streaming services.
Make Krabby Patties
If you didn’t get the notice, the Krabby Patties recipe was leaked some time ago. Fortunately, Plankton didn’t get the memo. A search on the internet will provide you with the recipe. If you don’t trust your cooking, go to the Burger King or McDonald’s near you.
Collect your favorite ‘Annoy Squidward’ memes
The SpongeBob series has given us plenty of fun memes over the years. Among all these memes, there are a series of ‘Annoy Squidward’ memes. Search for some of the best memes online and post them on your social media accounts. Don't forget to tag your friends and use the hashtag #AnnoySquidwardDay.
5 Interesting Facts About SpongeBob SquarePants
A marine biologist created it
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, graduated with a degree in marine biology from Humboldt State University.
The characters represent the Seven Deadly Sins
While not canon, fans believe each of the seven major characters on SpongeBob SquarePants represent one of the seven deadly sins.
SpongeBob SquarePants is a multi-award-winning show
SpongeBob SquarePants has won over six Annie Awards, two BAFTA Children’s Awards, eight Golden Reel Awards, and four Emmy Awards.
A mushroom species is named after it
In 2011, a new mushroom species was named ‘Spongiforma squarepantsii,’ after SpongeBob, and the species was given the same description.
It was the first animated wax character
On SpongeBob SquarePants’s tenth anniversary, Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York launched a wax sculpture of SpongeBob to celebrate the occasion.
Why We Love Annoy Squidward Day
We get a reason to pull fun pranks on our friends
Squidward is always annoyed by SpongeBob because of his silly gags and goof-ups. And Annoy Squidward Day is a great way to pull some fun pranks on your friends or coworkers. If you or your loved ones are feeling low or stressed out in life, then this is probably one of the best ways to bring a smile to their face.
SpongeBob teaches life lessons
One of the lessons you will get from studying the dynamic between SpongeBob and Squidward is that some people will still dislike you no matter how much you try to please them. That’s why it is better to live your best life, do what you can for other people, and ignore whatever people may say or think.
We learn fun facts and trivia about the “SpongeBob” series
The quirkiness of the “SpongeBob” series is what sets it apart from other animated series. And therefore, the show has a lot of fun trivia and facts that fans can't get enough of. When a day is specially dedicated to celebrating the popularity and success of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” series, fans get to learn new facts and trivia about their favorite animated series.
Annoy Squidward Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | February 15 | Saturday |
2026 | February 15 | Sunday |
2027 | February 15 | Monday |
2028 | February 15 | Tuesday |
2029 | February 15 | Thursday |