Every family has one -- a Grinch -- someone who puts a damper on the holidays. Dr. Seuss' famous poem, first published in 1957, starts:Every Who
Down in Who-ville
Liked Christmas a lot...
But the Grinch,
Who lived just North of Who-ville,
Did NOT!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
I completely understand that everyone is not the same and that some people find the holidays to be overwhelming. For other people the holidays bring back unwanted memories.
Our family Grinch hates the holidays, does not want a tree, complains, pouts, says that he will not participate and yet shows up every year around Thanksgiving and stays until New Years. Like Dr. Seuss' Grinch, our soupuss only shows up in Who-ville on holidays. Dr. Seuss' Grinch appears on Halloween in Halloween is Grinch Night. Like the storybook Grinch, our Grinch treats loyal companions like Max as an irritation that must be tolerated.
Some think that the storybook Grinch is envious of the Who's happiness.
Seuss saw the Grinch as a hero, though, saying, "Can't they understand that the Grinch in my story is the Hero of Christmas? Sure... he starts out as a villain, but it's not how you start out that counts. It's what you are at the finish."
The jury is still out on the heroism of our family Grinch.
As the Whos say in Welcome Christmas:
Welcome Christmas
While we stand
Heart to heart
And hand in hand
Grinchly links:
- Grinch trivia game
- Grinch mask to color and wear
- Grinch themed ornaments to decorate and hang from your tree
- Play the Grinch Grow Your Heart game
- Creating the Grinch
- Absolute Grinch
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas... and My Heart
- Who's Who and What's What in the Books of Dr. Seuss
Yes, we all have one. Ours is my dad! :)
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