With Thanksgiving over and the holidays officially upon us, it's time to sit back and enjoy all the Christmas classics. One of the most recognizable stories is that of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Published by Random House in 1957, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! follows the Grinch, a mean and cranky solitary creature who hates Christmas. With a heart two sizes too small, he attempts to thwart the nearby town of Whoville's holiday celebration by stealing the gifts and decorations on Christmas Eve.
Over the years, the classic story has been adapted many times, starting with the 1966 animated TV film. Featuring narration by Boris Karloff, who also voices the Grinch, this may not be the most well-known version these days, but it is a timeless classic. If anything, it's best known for the iconic song "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch," sung by Thrul Ravenscroft with lyrics written by Dr. Seuss himself.
In 2000, Ron Howard directed a live-action movie — officially titled Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas — that starred Jim Carrey as the Grinch. In 2018, Illumination Entertainment released a 3D animated feature film, simply titled The Grinch, which was directed by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, and featured Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Grinch.
Regardless of which version you prefer, all three have a spot in my holiday heart and are a must-watch around the holiday season. Unfortunately, due to contractual streaming rights and such, finding them these days can be a bit tricky. So I've come up with a handy little guide that shows when and where you can watch each version of this timeless holiday story.
Where to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the timeless animated classic from 1966, is available to stream on Peacock. TV Guide also lists it as airing on NBC on Thursday, December 5th at 8:00 p.m. as well as BRAVO on Friday, December 6th at 8:00 a.m. and then at 6:30 p.m. If you don't have standard television, you can access these channels through services such as Hulu + Live TV or Sling TV.
The lonely and heartless Grinch dresses up as Santa and steals the Christmas decorations, gifts and feasts from the people of Whoville.
If you aren't keen on a month-long subscription, you can also buy or rent it from one of the many digital storefronts, including Apple TV, Amazon, and Fandango. Prices hover around $3.99 to rent or $9.99 to buy.
Where to watch the live-action Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Interestingly, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is not available to watch through any streaming service, although you are able to rent or buy it through services such as Amazon Prime or Apple TV. Additionally, the movie is airing as part of Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas" on the following dates:
- Monday, Dec. 2, at 8:20 p.m. ET.
- Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 5:15 p.m. ET.
- Saturday, Dec. 7, at 10:15 p.m. ET
- Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7:15 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
- Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
- Friday, Dec. 13, at 9:50 p.m. ET.
- Saturday, Dec. 14, at 4:05 p.m. ET.
- Thursday, Dec. 19, at 8:20 p.m. ET.
- Friday, Dec. 20, at 2:25 p.m. ET.
- Sunday, Dec. 22, at 9:15 p.m. ET.
- Monday, Dec. 23, at 3:50 p.m. ET.
Jim Carrey brings Dr. Seuss' holiday-hating heel to gloriously sinister life in this effects-filled adaptation of the classic story.
Where to watch Illumination's The Grinch (2018)
Illumination's The Grinch is the most recent of the adaptations, released six years ago. Thi version is also available to stream on Peacock, but will also air throughout December during Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas. Here are the dates and times:
- Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 7:55 p.m. ET.
- Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Monday, Dec. 9, at 9 p.m. ET.
- Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
- Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2:05 p.m. ET.
- Sunday, Dec. 15, at 12:10 p.m. ET.
- Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 9 p.m. ET.
- Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Friday, Dec. 20, at 10 p.m. ET.
- Saturday, Dec. 21, at 9:30 a.m. ET.
- Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 9 p.m. ET.
- Wednesday, Dec. 25, at 4 p.m. ET.
When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger, louder and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence their holiday cheer once and for all.
It's also available to buy or rent from Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango. Other premium live television services like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV will also provide access.