Decking the Halls, Grinch-Style The Hall’s “Grinchmas” Tradition

Decking the Halls, Grinch-Style

The Hall’s  “Grinchmas” Tradition

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

It all started innocently enough, as many Christmas traditions do—with a simple desire for a little extra holiday cheer. Sarah Hall, a self-professed Christmas enthusiast, has always been a Christmas enthusiast and looked forward to breaking out the decorations with each passing year. One might say that Sarah was eager to deck the halls of her home in every way imaginable. The tree? Already up. The lights? Blinking merrily. But there was one problem: Danny Hall, Sarah’s husband wasn’t exactly the most Christmas loving fellow around. But Sarah had a vision…. she envisioned a home where every inch radiated holiday spirit, from the doorknobs to the windowsills.

Danny Hall was never exactly the jolliest guy when it came to Christmas. While his wife, Sarah, reveled in every bit of the holiday—decking the halls, baking cookies, and singing carols—Danny was more of a "ba-humbug" type. He wasn’t outright Grinchy, but he certainly wasn’t sharing in Sarah’s enthusiastic Christmas cheer. As Sarah puts it, "We weren't always like this with our decorating. In fact, the whole thing started as a joke. Danny just wasn’t as into it as I was, so I gave him the nickname 'The Grinch' to tease him.” One day, while out shopping, Sarah stumbled upon some Grinch-themed decorations and, in a mischievous mood, brought them home as a little gag. What she didn’t expect was that those playful Grinch items would spark something much bigger—a full-fledged holiday tradition. Little by little, Danny came home to find more and more Grinch decor appearing around their house, until the whole place was practically a tribute to the green, furry curmudgeon. And just like that, the Hall family's "Grinchmas" tradition was born—one joke, one decoration at a time.

Every year, Sarah would sneak in just a little more Grinchy goodness—at first, it was a wreath, then a few throw pillows, and soon, Danny came home from a long day at work to find that their home had transformed into an ever-growing tribute to the Green Menace himself. Danny recalled the one time the Grinch scared him to death, “I had just gotten home from a midnight shift at the refinery. It was still dark in the house, and I turned the corner to go into the kitchen and all the sudden I heard Grinch’s voice, and something started moving beside me. Well … I turned around and there was the Grinch. All six feet of him just a singing and dancing away. I almost punched the thing because who expects to run into a life size Grinch in the corner of their living room?”

Sarah and Danny’s son, Charlie, who is now eight years old has grown up surrounded by Grinchy goodness. “I really like all the Grinch stuff. I like looking at it and it really makes me happy when my mom gets it all out,” shared eight-year-old Charlie.

Now a days it is nothing to see something Grinchy positioned on every shelf, table, and wall. Each year, the Hall household becomes a dazzling display of everything Grinch-related. There are life-size Grinch statues that peek around corners, wreaths adorned with Grinch faces, Grinch stockings hanging from the mantel, and even a Grinch-inspired tree (complete with a star at the top that might have stolen a few ornaments). Every nook and cranny is filled with Grinchy joy, from mugs that say “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch” to Grinch matching Grinchy pajamas that the entire family wears.

“It is so funny when we look back on how it started and what we started with you know?  We started small,” says Sarah, with a mischievous grin. “At first, it was just a couple of things here and there. But when Danny earned himself the nickname of the Grinch… I just kind of ran with it and now, well… it’s a full-blown Grinchmas extravaganza.”

Danny, though once resistant, has slowly—and we mean slowly—come to embrace the madness. One might even say that Danny’s heart has slowly grown three sizes over the years and can now fully embrace the true meaning of Christmas. Eh-mmmm… or should we say Grinchmas?  He may have started as the reluctant Grinch, but now he’s practically one of the Who’s in Whoville himself. The Grinch stuff has taken over their home in the best possible way, and to be honest, the Hall family wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I used to say I’d never let the house look like this,” Danny admits, pointing to a table where several Grinch figurines are having a very important meeting. “But now… now I can’t imagine Christmas without it. The kids love it. Charlie especially loves when we pull out the Grinch-themed decorations. Rylan [Sarah’s daughter] has gotten older and doesn’t mind helping, either. It’s a family thing now. And I’ll be honest, it’s kind of fun.” Sarah agreed with her husband and went on to add, “There is nothing better than seeing the look on the kids’ faces. Christmas just puts me in a such a good mood and having all this stuff around makes it feel as if our home is a magnet for happiness.”

The kids Charlie and Rylan have fully embraced the Hall family Grinch legacy. They eagerly help their mom set up the décor, strategically placing the Grinch’s face on every shelf, or making sure there’s a Grinch on the kitchen counter, giving Danny a cheeky look each time he walks by. “It’s my favorite time of year,” Rylan says with a grin of her own. “I love how we make everything Grinchy! It’s the best and I love just spending time with my family.” Young Charlie grinned as he agreed with his sister and added, “I really like having all the Grinchy’s around. They are green and fun. They make me smile.”

Something else that makes young Charlie smile is his mom’s famous “Christmas Tree Dip” that she makes every year. This is a sprinkle-tastic delicacy that the entire family looks forward too. “It’s actually a really easy recipe that we make every year, and it taste amazing,” Sarah shared.

“There’s something special about making these silly memories together,” Sarah reflects. “What started as a joke has turned into something that really brings us together. It’s become our thing [the Hall family Grinchmas.] I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

At this rate, it’s safe to say that the Hall household will soon be a Grinch Museum, with every inch of their home boasting a nod to Dr. Seuss’s iconic green grump. And while their Christmas style may not be everyone’s cup of eggnog, it’s their style.

So, if you ever find yourself passing by the Hall family home on Christmas Eve, you’ll know it by the glow of the lights and the unmistakable presence of Grinch-inspired décor peeking through the windows. It’s the Hall family’s own merry little Grinchmas wonderland—a holiday tradition filled with laughter, family, and a little bit of mischief. After all, who could resist the charm of a family that’s taken “bah-humbug” and turned it into “Grinch-tastic”?