A strange thing happened while I was doing some last minute Christmas shopping. The lines at the mall to take photos with Santa were short. Now, I haven’t been to 10 malls, but I did go to about 3. And every time there are several people with very small children ready to take pictures. I mean, it blew my mind. The Grinch, on the other hand, dominates my timeline when I’m in random places like restaurants or Times Square…the antihero from the Dr. Seuss classic is right there.
In December, scroll through TikTok for five minutes and you’ll see it. The Grinch drove to the mall. The Grinch photobombs photos of Santa Claus. Hood the Grinch dances or jumps out of the box. The Grinch doesn’t just steal Santa’s gifts… he steals Santa’s moment.
so what’s up? Is Santa Claus about to be replaced?
So no, Santa has not been officially replaced. But maybe there’s a cultural problem? The Grinch is running a strong December campaign, but Santa is getting a little boring.
We don’t really hate Christmas, but things do change. First, we experience the holidays in so many ways these days. We hold our phones in overdrive, looking for a dopamine hit and chaotic entertainment.
The Grinch feels very popular. Santa Claus represents tradition, stability, and the idea that if you behave “good,” everything will magically work out. The Grinch paints us as literally burned-out husks, suspicious of checkout totals and eyeing every sale. And we must collectively lie to our ever-smarter kids. My nephew asked me if I was lying about Santa Claus. They no longer trust fat white guys in suits as easily as they used to.
Ironically, How the Grinch Stole Christmas happens when Dr. Seuss makes a statement about consumerism. He is not against happiness. He is against false happiness. He was railing against the commercialization of Christmas long before influencers were unpacking various luxury goods and playing them in our faces.
The Grinch is bringing joy. He dances and is always available in the crowd. He’s not sitting in a mall. He’s on the street!
Social media makes this inevitable. Santa Claus is sincere. The Grinch is sarcastic and full of clowns. He breaks the fourth wall. Santa posed politely and waited for the flash. One is content. Another is tradition.
Whether people admit it or not, there’s also something very hip-hop about the Grinch revival. Hip-hop has always loved outsiders, misunderstood characters. The Grinch saw through the system before Trump forced it on ordinary people. The Grinch saw the business scam early on. Eventually, he changed his mind without becoming cliche. This is a redemption arc we can relate to.
(Continue reading for the chart.)
The data reflects how resonant the furry green guy is. Search trends in December often show “The Grinch” beating “Santa Claus” in search results. It’s not that kids stop believing in themselves, but it’s probably because adults are starting to enjoy The Grinch again. The Grinch is real. Santa Claus is a myth.
It’s a shift, but what does the future bring? That remains to be seen. If malls are any indication, Santa’s windows are getting smaller. Yes, Santa still owns Christmas morning, but the Grinch owns the algorithm.
Santa is for kids.
The Grinch is for all of us.
So no – Santa Claus isn’t over yet, but stick around until December.
But the Grinch will definitely be invited to the house for eggnog, and if he sticks to it… he might even get to attend the July picnic. 🎄
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