I do not and will never accept the grinch as a real Christmas character. His authorship is too established. The story of the grinch, which I’ve seen in various bits about the movie, is not about Christmas. it is about not being a jerk. The reason for the grinches spread is that he ads an element of drama to the holiday, a powerful being waging a singular war on Christmas from the position of the outsider. None of the ambiguity of overcomericalziation or religious piety interfering with harmonious celebration. He hasn’t assailed the celebrates as gluttonous or failing to live up to the holidays gravitas and ritual. He isn’t simply a bitter non-participant like scrooge, who didn’t need a holiday to recognize the folly of being an asshole. He is out to destroy Christmas out of spite. He speaks to the paranoia that infects the suburban american mind. He doesn’t want what you have, but he doesn’t want you to have it either. A negating equation leaving no cheer or humbug but a void. Would the void be filled with labor? Rest? irrelevant, it is only important that the x-mas holiday is removed from his view. A petty reflection of the inability to actually enjoy the holiday. The grinch is a post 9/11 icon. He is the product of a mind that confabulates itself a siege to resist.

This Christmas I saw an inflatable grinch almost two stories high. A respectable ornament, to be sure, but only for a moment. I suppose if one takes a communal approach to decoration one can only have so many tannebaums and rudophs. I say no to the grinch.