Each year when school is let out for winter break and Christmas lights are strung up around my house, I know it’s time to watch my favorite Christmas movie: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Despite enjoying holiday festivities, one of my other favorite activities is watching the story of someone who absolutely hates Christmas. While the Grinch begins as a cynical, cold-hearted villain who plans to steal the Christmas of the Who’s in Whoville, he soon has an epiphany about the true meaning of the holiday. 

Before 2018, my family loved watching the 1998 Animated “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” which, even after countless viewings, has never failed to entertain me. In 2018, a remake of the Grinch was released, and that Christmas my entire family went to the theaters to watch it. This movie not only tells the original story of the Grinch, but is filled with details that enrich the plot, such as the backstory of the Grinch’s lonely Christmases in an orphanage during his childhood. The story is also brought to life through its soundtrack, with songs by Tyler the Creator, Nat “King” Cole, and many more. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is more than a movie I watch every holiday season: it is a display of the importance of understanding and forgiving those around you, making it a must-watch this winter break.