The Grinch

It's been a while since I read Dr. Seuss's story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." I hain't never seen the movies either. So, I'm going off of memory here.

So there was this miserable little creature known as the Grinch. Everybody in Who-ville (did I get that right?) celebrated Christmas every year and had a grand time. But the Grinch didn't like that. So one year he decided that he would steal Christmas. How? By hitching up a sled to his dog (?) and stealing all the presents and trees and lights and decorations in Whoville. Then he'd see how well they celebrated Christmas without the trees and lights and presents and so forth.

Christmas day he woke up to the sound of singing. He couldn't believe it. How could they be singing? They didn't have any toys! There was no tree! No lights! But as he listened to the singing something happened inside him and it is said that his heart grew three times its size that day. And he returned everything he had stolen and even cut the roast beast.

What's the point? Christmas is not about the toys and trees and lights and eggnog and cookies and roast beast and so on and so on. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth who came to save his people from their sins. The hymn "Joy to the World" expresses the idea very well. "Joy to the World, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room. And heaven and nature sing; and heaven and nature sing; and heaven and nature sing." How could those in Whoville sing without presents and trees and lights? They had joy. They were expressing their joy for the holiday. A mighty gift has been given to all the people. Should we not be grateful? Should we who have walked in darkness and now seen a great light not be happy? Let there be joy for all of us this holiday season.