We all remember and love the classic 1966 Christmas cartoon movie “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”. What if it wasn’t The Grinch who hated both Christmas and the Whos? Here is an alternative title:
Every Who down in Whoville loved Christmas a lot,
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did not.
Now, it wasn’t that he hated Christmas cheer,
Nor that he disliked the Whos who lived near.
No, the Grinch wasn’t grumpy, and he didn’t despise,
It was just that the noise made him feel paralyzed.
You see, the Grinch had a rare condition, though no one could know,
Called Misophonia, which made loud sounds hard to show.
The honking of horns, the clatter of dishes,
The noise from the Whos made his wishes all swishers!
The carols and laughter, the jingling of bells,
Would make his heart race and send him to wells.
His ears would start ringing, and his head would feel tight,
He’d cover his ears and hide out of sight.
But the Whos didn’t know why the Grinch seemed so odd,
They just thought he was cranky and mad at them all.
One Christmas Eve, the Grinch had a thought,
“I can’t take this noise, I’ve had enough!” he sought.
So, he pulled out a pair of noise-canceling headphones,
To block out the sounds, and calm his over-stressed tones.
With headphones on tight, he wandered away,
Away from the noise, to a quieter place to stay.
But even with silence, he couldn’t forget,
The Whos were all joyful—he felt a deep regret.
So, he decided to sneak into town, to “steal” Christmas cheer,
To stop the noise that gave him such fear.
He took every tree, each toy, and every gift,
Hoping that the sounds would finally drift.
But just as he was sneaking back up the hill,
He heard something that stopped him cold, still.
A Who in the square began to sing loud,
And the Grinch felt something stir within the crowd.
He stood frozen, and it was then he realized,
It wasn’t Christmas he hated or the Whos in disguise.
It was the sound— the loudness he couldn’t bear,
But he never understood why no one seemed to care.
So, the Grinch made a brave choice that day,
He walked down to Whoville, in his Grinchy way,
He asked the Whos, with a heart full of plea,
“Please help me understand, and help me to be free.”
“What’s the matter, Grinch?” a kind Who asked in surprise.
The Grinch explained how the noise made him want to cry.
He told them of the ringing, the thumping, the noise,
How the Christmas celebrations made him feel like a toy.
The Whos listened closely, nodding with care,
They hadn’t known before, but now they were aware.
“We understand now, Grinch,” said the Who with a smile,
“We’ll make some adjustments to make things worthwhile.”
They lowered the volume of the carols that day,
And they celebrated Christmas in a quieter way.
They found new ways to celebrate with cheer,
Without the loud noises that caused Grinch fear.
And so the Grinch, with his headphones still on,
Joined in the Whos’ Christmas, his worries all gone.
He learned that being understood could heal,
And together, they showed what love can reveal.
Now every year, the Grinch is first to say,
“Let’s celebrate Christmas in a way that feels okay!”
With his noise-canceling headphones as part of the fun,
He no longer hides or feels like he’s on the run.
With understanding and kindness, they all found a way,
To make Christmas joyful without loud dismay.
And the Grinch learned, with the Whos by his side,
That even with challenges, joy could still reside.
The Grinch who once stole Christmas now helped to bring,
A Christmas of love—peaceful and calming.
And in Whoville, they all agreed, with hearts full of bliss,
The Grinch was no longer an outsider—he was part of the Christmas wish.
