It’s Christmas season, and there is room for only one holiday icon in this school. The Grinch, a character from Dr. Seuss’s 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, must go head-to-head with Santa Claus, whose legend dates back to the third century and the story of Saint Nicholas. Due to his lengthy reign as the father of Christmas, Santa has become an icon of the holiday season for children around the world, symbolizing the happiness contained in plastic and sugar. The Grinch, on the other hand, is an up-and-coming star who is slowly but surely gaining international recognition as a champion of anti-consumerism.
While critics may underestimate the Grinch’s joy, he, too, maintains a Christmas spirit, focusing more on letting go of material needs and spending time with loved ones. Bolstered by his ideological soundness, the Grinch is sure to win in this fight. Santa, meanwhile, who relies on his medieval magic and an overworked army of elves, wouldn’t stand a chance against the Grinch’s knack for modern innovation and the sheer brawn of his faithful puppy Max.
In a world where technology is taking over and tradition is increasingly swept under the rug, nothing can hold the Grinch back from domination. The many gadgets that he builds throughout the book and the movies demonstrate his engineering prowess, as well as the impressive muscle of his loyal dog Max, famously known for being able to pull the Grinch, his sleigh and the thousands of presents from all of Whoville with ease.
Santa Claus, meanwhile, has yet to update his rusty sled from centuries ago. These factors, however, still do not clearly determine a singular champion, as Santa Claus has built an impressive resume for himself with his years of experience. Thomas Oakes (I) explains, “Santa could use Mariah Carey as a secret weapon and get her to bust the Grinch’s ears with her high notes.” This would be a difficult injury for anyone to recover from.
But who really is the good guy in this situation? Boston Latin School history teacher Mr. Dominic Rinaldi comments, “Like most truly villainous individuals, Santa is able to cleverly masquerade himself as the force of good. [In reality,] Santa is the sneaky henchman of the evil capitalist elite. [He] seems bright and cheery, but is really about exploited labor, addiction to materialism, misguided priorities and toxic positivity.”
Santa’s tendencies to watch people while they sleep and his history of associating himself with children certainly don’t paint him out as the good guy. While Santa is far more experienced than the Grinch, who has isolated himself in his cave for a long time, he relies immensely on his exploited workforce to accomplish anything.
Catherine Zee (I) notes, “Santa Claus […] has experience climbing up and down chimneys and carrying big sacks filled with presents, but he is nothing without his magic and reindeer and elves to back him up.”
The Grinch, meanwhile, was admirably able to heal from his childhood trauma rooted in abandonment and loneliness, open up his heart to the world and build a new chapter in his life focused on joy and friendship. Mr. Rinaldi adds, “The Grinch is teaching people about the true meaning of the holidays and showing people that they need to be grateful for what they have and to be grateful for one another. […] [People] need to divorce themselves from consumer culture, materialism and capitalism.” The Grinch is, in this way, a role model to us all.
There are some, however, who refuse to be swayed by the Grinch’s simple but necessary message. Oakes comments, “The Grinch is a bum who has no happiness in his own life and wants to take it out on the rest of us by ruining the most magical time of the year. […] [Santa is] probably the hardest working and most charitable person in human existence.” While this is a stance that appeals to our nostalgia, it is time to welcome modernity and oppose consumerism, a message that the Grinch champions.
This fight will ultimately be a close one. Mr. Rinaldi, however, is hopeful: “[While] Santa has ‘magic,’ the corporate overlords, a brilliant propaganda wing and an exploited workforce, the Grinch has morality and a faithful puppy on his side. That is all a person needs in this world.” Hopefully, with the help of Max, the Whos from Whoville and all of us, the Grinch will beat Santa once and for all.
