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As an entertainment editor, I spend a lot of time watching Christmas movies during the holiday season.
Whether it be The Santa Clause, It’s a Wonderful Life, or plenty more, I adore the idea of a Christmas film. Most of them tell heartwarming stories that make me appreciate my family, both biological and chosen. Or, in the case of a movie like Home Alone, they stir up feelings of nostalgia, and I can’t help but feel like a child again when Kevin screams into the mirror with shaving cream on his face.
Regardless of the title, I usually can’t wait to sit down on my couch and dive into a holiday movie that’ll evoke all of the warm, fuzzy feelings. But there’s one film I absolutely refuse to watch: the 2000 live-action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Now, before I explain why I dislike How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I can already hear you, the reader, screaming some questions through the ether:
What do you mean you don’t like How the Grinch Stole Christmas? It’s a Dr. Seuss classic!
How can you not love all the costumes and sets in How the Grinch Stole Christmas? They’re perfect!
ADVERTISEMENTThe iconic Jim Carrey stars as the Grinch! What’s wrong with his performance?
O.M.G., how adorable is Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who? How do you not like it?
I know, I know! I’m ashamed to admit it, too!
There are so many things you can tell me about why How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the best holiday movie ever. And trust me—I’ve heard them all! But if I’m going to be honest with you, I have a good reason for why I can’t bring myself to watch it.
I’m scared of it.
When it comes to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, it’s not about the story nor Jim and Taylor’s performances. It strictly has to do with the fact that it’s a live-action movie.
I wasn’t a huge fan of this type of film as a child, so imagine when I had the chance to see the Grinch IRL for the first time. I may have been young, but I immediately freaked out when I saw a furry, green creature scaring other kids my age! In fact, I distinctly remember watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas on TV and rushing to turn it off when the Grinch appeared on screen.
Universal
As it turns out, I’m not the only one who feared the Grinch growing up. When I perused Reddit to see if other people had the same feelings, I was surprised to discover that many parents had stories of their kids being frightened by the film.
“My 5 year old is sensitive and ran away when it was playing because she thought the grinch was looking at her when he looks at the camera. She’s had several nightmares about the grinch since,” one user wrote. “Too scary for my 4yo because ‘the grinch is grumpy’ even though he becomes ungrumpy. 🤷🏻♀️,” another commented. “I don’t remember much from that movie, but my kids (3 and 5) are both a bit scared of the Grinch,” a different person added.
Now, I may be scared of the live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like the story as a whole. After all, it is a classic!
So, how do I work around this dilemma? I watch 2018’s The Grinch, with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the titular character.
The Grinch takes all the elements from the live-action version and adds a more family-friendly feel, in my opinion. Between the incredible animation, the adorable, lovable characters, and the bright colors, it immediately brings me a ton of happiness to watch. Couple that with a catchy soundtrack, and I can’t help but love it. And even the Grinch’s plot to steal Christmas doesn’t scare me, what with him looking wholly jolly for someone in a perpetual bad mood.
But that’s not all. Remember how I said I have to turn off the TV when How the Grinch Stole Christmas comes on? Well, I don’t do that when I see The Grinch. In fact, I’ll immediately plop on the couch and prepare myself for an hour and a half of laughs, hijinks, and a lot of holiday fun.
So, for those who are How the Grinch Stole Christmas loyalists: I see you, and I hear you. But if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to enjoy The Grinch instead.
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