Why I Root for The Grinch

No, it’s not because I’m Jewish (cue South Park’s Lonely Jew on Christmas song).

Nor is it because of the agoraphobia-inducing crowds around any place where money can be spent.

It’s not the carols that are so ubiquitous they embed themselves in your mind with brainwashing efficiency. And I’ll  never understand eggnog, but hey, I’m not one to begrudge others their holiday traditions, especially since I come from a gefilte fish background.

My Christmas Pet Peeve is this whole “Season of Giving” concept.

Charity and compassion are not seasonal phenomena. At least they shouldn’t be. The whole concept of being generous and considerate to your fellow human beings really shouldn’t be chained to one month a year. Whoever is on your holiday donation list — whether it’s animal shelters or environmental causes or cancer research or the local soup kitchen — their needs are year-round, too.

I’m not saying to unleash your road rage on holiday shoppers or anything like that. After all, ’tis the season of higher-than-usual suicide rates, so people can use a little patience and understanding this time of year. It also won’t help to tear up your tax-deductible checks to your favorite organizations because they’ve come to rely on the slew of December donations to pay for the good work they’ve been doing all year.

I just wish more people would roll that holiday spirit into their New Year’s Resolutions (except make this one the kind that’s kept past February), and pledge to keep on giving long after the fruitcake has decomposed. Be that person who keeps their lights up all year if it’ll keep you in the spirit.

That’s why I love The Grinch. I always hope he’ll shove December – stress and all – into his bag and haul it off to his cave … leaving behind the compulsion people have this time of year to make a difference in the world.