RIGA—In an unprecedented initiative, the Latvian government has announced the declaration of 'Complain-for-Peanuts' Day, a brand-new holiday set to be celebrated annually on February 15th. Recognized as the country's official day to embrace the seemingly paradoxical Latvian tradition of grumbling even when things are going well, each citizen is invited to articulate any exasperation, rewarding them with a bag of complimentary peanuts for their audible grievances.

The brainchild of Minister of Discomfort (a recently created portfolio), Guntars Miglāns, the day came into being following one of the mildest winters the region has experienced in recent memory. 'We found ourselves with an excess of unused snow plows and an equally unutilized allocation for road salt,' said Minister Miglāns at a press briefing. 'Rather than let the fund go to waste, we thought it better to convert it into a currency that resonates with our people's unparalleled passion for airing grievances.'

To participate, citizens need only visit designated ‘Grumble Booths’ set up in central locations across Latvian cities. Each approved gripe will be met with a jubilant, if not sarcastic, endorsement by actors trained to impersonate indifferent public servants, who might reply with, 'Oh, really? That's new' or 'How interesting, carry on' before handing them their peanuts reward. Especially innovative complainers may find themselves receiving special peanut varieties, such as those 'well-salted' or 'roasted with extra indigence.'

The response from the public has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. 'Finally, a holiday that speaks to our truth,' exclaimed Aldis Bērziņš, a Riga resident known for his frequent philosophical musings about tram timetables. 'Now I can finally achieve the respect I deserve for my complaint that the city should really consider painting zebra crossings in more eye-pleasing colors than black and white!' Another eager participant, Māris Kalniņš, calls the initiative 'the ultimate test of creativity. How mundanely original can you get?' he chuckles while clutching a list of grievances ranging from flagrant overcautiousness of squirrels in Mežaparks to the alarming reluctance of clouds to snow with a bit more vigor.

Opposition to the holiday has been scarce but notable. Part-time enjoyment instructor, Elīna Ozoliņa, argued against what she termed as an 'institutionalization of pessimism.' 'We should aim to count blessings, not enumerate complaints... but on second thoughts, I do have a bone to pick about the absence of a second seat at the bus stop I frequent,' she added thoughtfully.

In an official statement, President Egils Levits praised the initiative as 'ingeniously aligned with our cultural nuances.' 'It's quintessentially Latvian: authentic and with a pinch of dry humor,' he remarked. 'Plus, there’s nothing like the crunch of a good peanut to celebrate a stable society. We're keeping our traditions cracking!'

Whether 'Complain-for-Peanuts' Day will become as beloved as Midsummer or relegate itself to the echelons of brief history remains to be seen. But for now, as the citizens of Latvia prepare their lists of qualms, there's only one certainty: a nation of satisfied complainers, with peanuts in hand and smiles possibly concealed under the pretense of disgruntlement.