What do we think about the Grinch?

[Evenstar]

After a conversation at my church when I took my big Grinch in for a children’s group I help to run, would it be a problem for you or the leadership team at your church? I was told that “Grinchmas” is everywhere and it’s not appropriate as it’s not putting the emphasis on Christ in Christmas.

Just curious as to whether I am too liberal or if you would have thought it was OK too? There was no absolutely no reference to Grinchmas!

I wouldn't have taken it into a church personally, as they do tend to centre Jesus and the Nativity within December worship time, but we live and learn. Once as a teen at Christian Union I made a dinosaur joke and got shouted at by the leader. I still think his behaviour was worse than my dinosaur joke (and I still believe in dinosaurs and found a church that supports where I'm at with it all). I suppose the question to ask is whether this is still the right church for you? It sounds like you do a lot to help them out if you help run a children's group.

I don't have an issue with it. I think it really depends on the type of church.

I'm not a Christian but I clicked on this thread as it came up in Active and I get made to read The Grinch Who Stole Christmas over and over and over again. Anyway, even though the book doesn't mention Christ, the whole point of the story is that the Grinch learns that Christmas means more than just presents etc., so surely it's a perfect way into talking about what the real meaning is?

Not a practising Christian, but I would have thought the redemptive message of the book should resonate with Christians. Also that even though the Whos have all their material goods taken away, they still rejoice in the spirit of love and the true meaning of Christmas.
However, I’m sick of seeing the Grinch everywhere, they’ve over commercialised my family’s favourite Christmas story book.(you know, apart from the obvious 😉)

@JesusIsMyCopilot I do a huge amount with other youth work too and bake cakes for many events, I also regularly purchase items from my own pocket for the group as we have very limited funds. I am a relative newcomer as we moved to the area about 18 months ago, I have made friends there and get on well with everyone else. Unfortunately I work closely with this individual, she is not an Anglican herself and she can be very black and white in her thinking and as she is part of the ministry team it’s tricky.

I think it depends on the way in which it is used. I personally avoid talking about e.g. Father Christmas with the church groups, as I know different parents have different approaches to this, and wouldn't want to cause upset.

With the Grinch, there is a difference between using him as an illustration (if I talk Star Wars or Paw Patrol with the kids it doesn't mean I'm saying they're real!), and using him as part of the Christmas story.

If the leader was in your session, could you ask for clarity on what was wrong with your use of the Grinch (as surely there are situations in which acknowledging the story is OK, even if just to say "Jesus = real, Grinch = fiction").
If they weren't there, could you explain how and why you used it, and ask for wisdom along those same lines?

@Interl0per he was just sat in the corner, set up with some little presents etc for photo opportunity/to play with, leader was present and said as I had done it she would allow it as I had already done it. I honestly wouldn’t have realised there was any issue with that. The children are very small so no teaching involved.

At the church I used to go to, they would definitely have wanted to focus on Christmas as the birth of Christ. Possibly with a side story about Santa really being St Nicholas.

Not sure they would be anti Grinch but definitely pro church activities being about Jesus.

@AnnaMagnani totally understand that, but we had a Nativity display and books out too, I just thought it was a little bit of fun for the parents and maybe a chance for a cute Christmas photo that wouldn’t cost the earth at some kind of “experience”

Are the parents church goers too though?

Because if they are, it's likely that they will feel the same about wanting their kids to grow up with their Christmas experience being primarily about learning the Christmas story, singing carols and having a Christmas crib.

My childhood Christmas experiences were very much along the lines of Carol service, Christingle, learning the story and symbols, church on Christmas day and so on.

No they are largely not church goers, the group is open to all.

I misread this. I wouldn't probably take in a big grinch/turn it into some kind of grinch activity if I'm honest, because it's not where I'd prefer the focus to be in a church event.

I misread and thought you'd brought a grinch bag with you, which is would seem ridiculous to me for anyone to get upset about 😂

I have no issue with it and I attend Church weekly.
also last year there were a couple people at Christmas Eve mass with Grinch jumpers on and even someone wearing her Grinch pyjamas under a long coat 😂
i wouldn’t wear pyjamas to church but eh she had just given birth and was taking it easy

Thanks for the info.
If there's no teaching at all, (not quite sure what type of group this is), then I'm not sure what I'd think.
However, if it is set up as a Christian group, then I'm afraid that I'm probably in agreement with the other leader. I'd want to be careful of anything that might unintentionally imply that the Grinch is as real as Jesus at Christmas. That's why I might use him in teaching, but to help me make a point about the real Christmas story.
That said, I don't think talking about "Grinchmas" was necessarily helpful. I don't think you were making The Grinch more important than Jesus.
I can completely see your lovely intentions, I'd just be more wary of the unintentional implications, especially for children.

@Interl0per it’s for babies under one, so too young for teaching as such, we do have board books with bible stories etc

I agree with this.

If you were using it as a teaching resource, no problem. Having the book at story time or just as one toy, again, no problems.

Tbf I think if there is a leader it would be at least courtesy to run it past them first anyway. Otherwise the leader can be left with the awkward choice of something they're uncomfortable with around or speaking to a volunteer who may take offense.