Day 129: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

There are so many classic books to read at this time of year.  I always love story time, but for some reason, snuggling up to read bedtime stories before Christmas feels (as my son would say) "the coziest of all."  I've already featured some of the books that are on heavy rotation at our house in December, but this is one of our favorites!  We love Dr. Seuss' books and his whimsically wonderful style, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas is no exception.   Like many people, I would imagine, I grew up looking forward to watching the Grinch on television each Christmas season, but I actually never had the book until I had children.  The classic movie, of course, is essentially an animated recitation of the book, with a few songs added in for good measure.  I have always loved the message of the story, so I was thrilled to get the book as a hand-me-down from a relative a few years back.  I always make it a point to emphasize my favorite lines when I'm reading this with my son, which, in my opinion, are increasingly more relevant in this era of over-the-top Christmas commercialism.   If you've read the book or seen the movie, you must know the part.  (And if you haven't, my apologies for not giving a synopsis here -- but you must read it!)  "Every Who down in Who-ville, 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 without 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 though of something he hadn't before. "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"  I hope my children always understand the true meaning and magic of Christmas, and feel the joy, love, and wonder of the season the way the Whos do.  And while the book doesn't contain the closing lines from the movie, I think they are well worth repeating here, too:  "Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near.  Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp.  Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we.  Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand."