Squidward stares ahead with heavy-lidded eyes and a flat, unmoved expression as confetti drifts past him. There’s no celebration in his face, no spark of excitement, just pure resignation. The moment lands as the exact opposite of hype: a visual eye-roll without the motion.

It’s instantly readable. Everyone else is celebrating, and Squidward is not impressed.

How It’s Used

• When New Year’s enthusiasm feels forced
• When the countdown hits and you feel nothing
• As a sarcastic response to overblown excitement
• When everyone’s cheering and you’re already tired
• For “same nonsense, new year” energy

Origin

Show: SpongeBob SquarePants
Character: Squidward Tentacles
Context: Squidward stands unmoved as celebration debris floats around him, reinforcing his long-running role as the show’s resident skeptic and killjoy.

Why It Became a Meme

The contrast does all the work. Confetti implies celebration, but Squidward’s face refuses to participate. That mismatch makes the GIF endlessly reusable for sarcasm, apathy, and unimpressed reactions, especially during holidays that demand enthusiasm.

It’s not anger. It’s not sadness. It’s indifference, perfected.

Legacy

Squidward’s unimpressed reactions have become a backbone of sarcastic internet humor, and this one resurfaces every December and January as a counterpoint to forced optimism. When everyone else says “new year, new me,” this GIF says nothing at all.