Grichy Evaluation

This year more than any, with the state of today's economy, the words of Dr. Seuss are quite relevant, and I thought to myself while watching it today: There are a lot of children nowadays who could benefit from really truly understanding the importance of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and it's true moral. We all, it seems, have been sucked in to the whole corporate holiday that is X-mas. We all put so much value into buying things for people, rather than the importance of being with the people who matter to us.

Let us not lose sight of the true spirit of Christmas. Spend time with your family and friends, and don't get caught up worrying about buying that ridiculously overpriced bauble for whomever.

Yet, in examining the Grinch further, we see also, that having understood the "true meaning of Christmas" the Grinch does not begrudge the Whos their gifts. The gifts are returned to the Whos and their feast and their decorations, all their musical instruments the Grinch hated so much. They are part of something larger. That is the revelation that the Grinch has while listening to the Whos down in Whoville as their stuff dangles precariously off Mt. Crumpet.

So give and receive and be merry, but don't forget that without all the dressings and feasting, without the presents and trees, Christmas still comes and is about the people you spend it with.

Christmas day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp.


[Excerpt from: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas]
...
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!
"PoohPooh to the Whos!" he was grinchishly humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!"
"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!"
"Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry BooHoo!"

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "That I simply MUST hear!"
So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow.
But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Whoville! The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?"
"It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!"
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"