How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is the Ultimate Holiday Classic

The Grinch stole everything from Whoville on Christmas Eve.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas stole TVs in 1966. Based on the children’s book by Dr. Seuss, the story is set around a miserable Grinch who dislikes Christmas. Disguised as Santa, the Grinch steals everything from Whoville to make them suffer.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the ultimate holiday classic that has spirited audiences for over fifty years. The short highlights the true meaning of Christmas and how we should not leave anyone out of the festivities.

Boris Karloff narrates the tale. Fellow fans of classic horror will recognize Karloff as the ghoulish monster in Frankenstein (1931). Karloff is excellent in his deep, distinctive voice narration that adds a layer of charm and menace to the character, perfectly complementing the whimsical yet profound nature of Dr. Seuss's narrative.

The Grinch does not like Christmas. His original intention was to make the citizens of Whoville suffer - but his plan completely changes everything. Karloff's ability to convey the Grinch's transformation from a curmudgeonly creature to a softened, enlightened soul is a testament to his vocal abilities and understanding of the story's emotional depth.

For its time, How the Grinch Stole Christmas supplied a message about the impact of a dog’s love. I have talked about this in the live-action, but the friendship between the Grinch and his dog Max is so underrated! How did these two meet and become friends?

Max isn’t keen on the Grinch’s plans but being the loyal dog he is, Max complies and supports the Grinch. Max’s personality is based on director Chuck Jones’s childhood dog.

Animation has evolved over a century. The animation in How the Grinch Stole Christmas remains remarkable, even by today's standards. Give a hand to the animating team because it took 10 months to animate along with 25,000 drawings!

Bringing Dr. Seuss’s world to life, the character's movements and expressions are fluid, contributing to the special’s charmful atmosphere. The expressions are my favorite. How many of us have copied the Grinch’s signature mischievous smile? Max is also quite expressive, nervously going along with everything.

The Grinch stealing all the presents and Christmas decorations is the signature montage. Animators spent countless hours focusing on detail and vibrant colors.

Recognize who sings the famous ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch?’ That is the late Thurl Ravenscroft who voiced Tony the Tiger from the Frosted Flakes commercials. He was uncredited at the time but deserves all the praise for the trademark song that easily gets stuck in your head.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss wrote all the lyrics to the songs? I didn’t know this myself. He was initially reluctant to animate one of his famous stories

One of Chuck Jones’s key strengths of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is its faithfulness to Dr. Seuss’s original message about the true meaning of Christmas. When I was a kid I couldn’t wait to open my presents. This special is a poignant reminder across several generations that Christmas is about the thought that counts.

Treasure the memories and what you are thankful for. Not everybody has what you have. Like the Grinch, there’s somebody out there right now who feels left out of the holiday spirit. Spread holiday cheer and include everyone.

Keep passing along the heart of How the Grinch Stole Christmas from generation to generation. If you have not yet seen this classic short now is a good time to watch it was Christmas Eve right around the corner. Just make sure the Grunch doesn’t steal your gifts.