The Grinch

What color is The Grinch?

You said green, right?  Well, I just retrieved our family's copy of the original book (published in 1957; our copy was printed in 1985), and guess what?  The Grinch is colorless!  That's right, no color at all!  In the original book, there are only four colors:  red, pink, black, and white.  The Grinch is white.  So when did he turn green?  I suppose it was with the cartoon movie version which was aired for the first time on this date in 1966.  Forty-eight years ago today.

So of course, on this anniversary, I am going to fall in love with The Grinch.

I just did a little math to determine how old The Grinch is.  If he was created in 1957, which was 57 years ago, and he was 53 years old upon his creation ("Why, for fifty-three years I've put up with it now!  I must stop Christmas from coming!  . . . But HOW?"), The Grinch is now 110 years old.  No wonder he's green.

The lesson inherent in the story of The Grinch's transformation from nasty to nice is a good one for children to hear.  I suppose all of Dr. Seuss' characters impart something good to their readers/listeners.  Which is why we all love Dr. Seuss.

But that's not why I love The Grinch.  Actually, I don't know why I love The Grinch.  Maybe because he was brave enough to say that he didn't like Christmas.  The truth is, there are a lot of people who don't like Christmas, and it's not about being envious of other people's happiness.  It's about being lonely or sad or reminded of what one has lost.  I can easily fit that description.

Green is the color of envy.  In the original book, The Grinch was not green.  So, psychologically speaking, why did he want to steal Christmas?  Well, maybe he just wanted to get rid of something that seemed to magnify his loneliness.  Poor thing.

I think all he needs is love.  So that's what I'm giving him today.