Unas cuantas semanas before Christmas, Grampo Caralampio, Grama Cuca and Canutito were busy en el livingroom de la casa putting up un pino in the corner. Grampo was chequeando las luces to make sure que they all lit up when they were plugged in and Grama Cuca was putting colgaderos on the shiny balls so they would hang just right. Canutito was poking around through a caja that held other Christmas trinkets como icicles y garlands. He even found una garland hecha de popcorn viejo that he had strung together el año pasado at school. He was really quite surprised que los ratones hadn't eaten it donde estaba stored in the basement de la casa.

"Christmas is definitely mi tiempo favorito del año," he said as he took out un Nativity Scene out from the box. "Everybody is all contento and there are so many pretty cosas para ver. I wish que we could live out Christmas todo el año!" he exclaimed as he put down un tiny manger.

"That's un happy thought," Grampo Caralampio concurred. "Pero, sabes, m'hijo, que not everyone is glad to have Christmas around. Siempre tiene que haber un 'grinch' de por allí who would rather que no one was happy."

"I guess que some personas no están happy unless que todos estén miserable como ellos," Canutito agreed.

"Let me tell you about una vez cuando someone tried to get the town to cancel Christmas officially, m'hijo," grampo said.

"Really, grampo?" the little boy asked. "Did they really want to cancelar toda La Navidad?"

"Sí señor," Grampo Caralampio confirmed. "That is, until que todos protestaron con una song."

"What song was that, grampo?" Canutito asked.

"Well, just listen and I will tell you," Grampo Caralampio said. He began su narración:

'Twas la noche de Christmas allá en Santa Fe

The people had come here, y ahora se ve.

They'd come todos juntos pa'l parque a ver

Ole Santa's arrival on a firetruck bed.

Los niños were singing arriba en el stage,

All reading their music del mismito page.

Their padres y madres beamed up con delight,

At todos sus hijos, that cold, winter night.

They sang las canciones in one cheerful voice,

But got interrupted por una rude noise.

For someone was calling up todo enojão,

"What's all this barullo about, anyhow?

I do not believe you should use public plazas

To celebrate Crismes; go back to your casas."

Some people were angry at this nasty grinche,

Some called him "vavoso" and others "un pinche."

But a niño was calling, "Let's include him instead

And share our traditions con este," he said.

They sang 'Silent Night' con buen corazón

Y el Grinch was all sorry por ser tan—bribón.

El Grinch then remarked all serio and grim,

"I didn't know 'Silent Night' could be un protest hymn.

He joined in the spirit con paz en su heart.

And then he let todos cantar their own part.

For Christmas is more que un time for giving;

También it's a manner of sharing and living.

El Grinche de Santa Fe had learned su lección.

He learned que sus neighbors were una gran bendición.

Canutito smiled as grampo concluded his narration. He felt todo peaceful también.

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