Two names have become synonymous with evil at Christmas – Ebenezer Scrooge and The Grinch.

For all of the goodness kindness of Christmas that Buddy The Elf and Santa Claus reflect, Scrooge and The Grinch are their antitheses – the mascots for the naughty list.

If anyone we know is being stingy and grounchy at the holidays we call them a Scrooge. If anyone is being greedy or cranky we call them a Grinch.

Scrooge and The Grinch are the ultimate Christmas story villains. Selfish, harsh, mean spirited – they are symbolic of every attitude we strive to avoid this time of the year.

I think it’s about time we change that though. I think it ought to be a compliment when someone calls you a Scrooge or a Grinch. 

You see these two characters have gotten a bum wrap over the course of history. The truth is the stories of Ebenezer Scrooge and The Grinch are stories of redemption.

Though these two men were consumed with darkness their stories both end with them seeing the light and changing their ways. They became two of the most generous men of all time.

Scrooge is a man who could barely be talked into giving his employees a day off on December 25. He transformed into a man who vowed to keep Christmas in his heart every day of the year. The Grinch goes from stealing a city’s Christmas presents to a having a heart multiplying in size due to the spirit of the season.

When we call people Scrooges and Grinches we’re remembering these two characters for who they were, not who they became. That’s not a precedent we should put in place in life. 

I for one would hate to only be known for the beginning of my story. I hope that people see me the same way God does: as the person I’m becoming, not the person I was.

That’s why I think we need change the perception of Scrooge and The Grinch. We all ought to aspire to be like these Christmas story villains.

We should all be so lucky to be called in the same name as these characters – finding redemption by grace from the horrible sins of our past and ending our stories as the most generous people on the planet.

What are some other Christmas story characters who have gotten a bad wrap? Leave a comment and join the conversation. And subscribe to Pop God to follow The 12 Blogs Of Christmas!