History Main / HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas

* On ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo!, a [[BadSanta villainous Santa]] steals ''Halloween'', and the [[JustifiedTrope the justification]] is rather clever: Santa understands that Halloween is obviously the second most beloved holiday just as Christmas is the most; therefore, if he controls both holidays, he will have supreme power over holidays in general.

* On TeenTitansGo!, a [[BadSanta villainous Santa]] steals ''Halloween'', and the [[JustifiedTrope the justification]] is rather clever: Santa understands that Halloween is obviously the second most beloved holiday just as Christmas is the most; therefore, if he controls both holidays, he will have supreme power over holidays in general.

* On TeenTitansGo, a [[BadSanta villainous Santa]] steals ''Halloween'', and the [[JustifiedTrope the justification]] is rather clever: Santa understands that Halloween is obviously the second most beloved holiday just as Christmas is the most; therefore, if he controls both holidays, he will have supreme power over holidays in general.

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* ComicBook/TheJoker did this during ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween''. MonsterClown playing TheGrinch just because [[AttentionWhore he wanted some attention]]? [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Hell yes!]]

* [[Website/FourChan /co/]] has produced "How the [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} Rorschach]] Stole Christmas" and "How [[GreenLantern Larfleeze]] Stole Christmas"

* From 2002 to 2005, Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} ran a series of shorts parodying the classic 1960s Christmas specials with the Nicktoon characters every December. One segment, titled ''How the You-Know-Who Stole the You-Know-What!'', featured Angelica from ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', as "Grinchelica", stealing all the candy from the other Nicktoon characters.

Compare SavingChristmas.

--->'''Homer:''' ''You're a smart one, Homer J.,\\

* Spoofed on ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', when Ron believed (for no apparent reason; it wasn't a ChristmasEpisode or anything) that the EvilPlan behind Dr. Drakken's mischief-of-the-week was to "steal Christmas." Kim argued, and was correct in this, that the plan was Drakken's usual pursuit of that more sensible cliché, [[TakeOverTheWorld taking over the world]].

* In an almost literal capacity, Jack Skellington in ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' gets it in his skull that he and the rest of Halloween Town's citizens can take over Christmas that year. They make presents for all of the children in the human realm (all of which designed to frighten rather than bring joy), kidnap Santa Claus with Jack replacing him (putting him in danger at the hands of local criminal Oogie Boogie), and essentially hijack the season. It is not until the National Guard ''literally'' blows Jack back to his senses (out of the sky) does he try to set things right.

* In ''Toys/TheGrosseryGang'' webseries' 2017 "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92lgHNysTWo Christmas Episode]]" features Vac Attack attempting to ruin "Grossmas" for the Grosseries by stealing their presents. Guest Grossery [=PukieHurlC=] (voiced by YouTube toy reviewer [=CookieSwirlC=]) plays the role of Cindy Lou.

* Radio's ''{{The Bob and Tom Show}}'' had the skit "The Griswold Who Stole Christmas", in which co-host Tom Griswold steals the presents from the show's other regulars.

** Homer has stolen Christmas a few times, though he had good reasons. For example, in "Tis the Fifteenth Season":

** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E8AHearthsWarmingTail A Hearth's Warming Tail]]" is mostly YetAnotherChristmasCarol, but the start of Snowfall Frost's story is about her trying to ruin Hearth's Warming for everypony. It includes the aspect of stealing some trappings of the holiday, although in this case it's to use as components for her memory-erasing spell.

SisterTrope to YetAnotherChristmasCarol, GiftOfTheMagiPlot, and ItsAWonderfulPlot.

* SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker did this during ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween''. MonsterClown playing TheGrinch just because [[AttentionWhore he wanted some attention]]? [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Hell yes!]]

* ''Webcomic/TheNewAdventuresOfQueenVictoria'' is [[http://newadventuresofqueenvictoria.com/strips/big/naqv091222.gif currently]] [[http://newadventuresofqueenvictoria.com/strips/big/naqv091222.gif doing a]] parody with OsamaBinLaden.

* On ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' episode "The Halloween Door," a [[[MoralGuardians a prudish old man who hates Halloween]] invents a device that will make all the paraphernalia of Halloween disappear. The consequences in the supernatural world are dire, for this allows a horde of demons to return to Earth. And true to the "stealing Halloween" plot, Halloween is restored because the "true meaning of Halloween" is the joy of children at play, and a little girl (who even looks a lot like Cindy Lou) expresses her faith and lack of fear in standing up to the demon lord. The Grinch figure, in spite of having seen the chaos, still [[NeverMyFault denies that it was his fault]], and continues to hate Halloween and wish to suppress it.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/TheJoker http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joke_stole_xmas.jpg]]]]

* [[ImageBoards /co/]] has produced "How the [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} Rorschach]] Stole Christmas" and "How [[GreenLantern Larfleeze]] Stole Christmas"
* [[ImageBoards /a/]] has produced [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB01uKJbl0I How the]] [[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry Battler]] [[http://archive.easymodo.net/cgi-board.pl/a/thread/29016052 stole Witchmas]].

** Homer has stolen Christmas a few times, though he had good reasons...

** Mr. Burns is said to have stolen Christmas from 1981-1985.

** A minor example: "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E5TanksForTheMemories Tanks for the Memories]]" has Rainbow Dash trying to stop winter from coming so she can keep her pet turtle from hibernating. At one point she makes a face reminiscent of the Grinch's.

** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E8AHearthsWarmingTail A Hearth's Warming Tail]]" is mostly YetAnotherChristmasCarol, but the start of Snowfall Frost's story is about her trying to ruin Hearth's Warming for everypony. It includes the aspect of stealing some strappings of the holiday, although in this case it's to use as components for her memory-erasing spell.

[[folder:Abridged Series]]
* The ChristmasEpisode of ''WebVideo/PrincessTutuAbridged'', entitled [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKtbVMihglQ How Drosselmeyer Stole the Abridged Series]].
* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' has [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAVxdJSJ3rE How the Thief King Stole Slavemas]].

[[folder:Fanworks]]
* ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' fanfic: [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2718340/1/How_the_Question_Stole_Christmas How the Question Stole Christmas]].
* The fanfilm [[http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/shortfilms/howsithstole/index.asp How the Sith stole Christmas]].
* The fanfic ''FanFic/HowAkumaKickedChristmasAss''
* Parsee from the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' [[http://walfas.org/flash/parsee_christmas.swf Steals]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qS1kqhhebw the Precious Christmas]].
* How [[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry Battler]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB01uKJbl0I Stole Witchmas]].
* From''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', we have [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/236743/this-holiday-is-going-to-be-perfect This Holiday is Going to be Perfect]], whose sole chapter is known as "How Chrysalis stole Hearth's Warming Eve".

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* * ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' did one where Jason wrote a story casting his mother as "Mrs. Grinch", a cheapskate who wouldn't buy expensive enough presents for the "Kids down in Kidville". Instead, she replaces all the cool game consoles with [[LethalChef nutritious health bars]].
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[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Back when Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Music/CapitolSteps did "How the Ging-Grinch Stole Congress."

[[folder:VisualNovels]]
* There are two instances of this in ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend Holiday Star'', and neither completely follows this trope. In ''The Christmas Thieves'', [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Miru and Kaku]] steal trees, assaulting people and blowing things up to get to them. They aren't very bright and don't think at all about what impact this might have, they just ''really'' want all the trappings. This is Japan, where Christmas is more of a romantic holiday than taken seriously; the Buddhist main character doesn't think very highly of the holiday but scolds the twins, saying that plenty of people like it and it's mean to ruin their fun.
** Legumentines, in-universe, is a descendant of Valentines in which beans are exchanged. [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Tohri]] decides to ruin it out of spite - no one gave ''him'' any beans! how dare people have fun without him! - and decides to buy up all the beans the day before the holiday to prevent anyone else from having them. He's stopped halfway through when someone gives him "courtesy beans".
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[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'' has a [[http://www.brawlinthefamily.com/?p=255 take]].
** And in-universe, he pulls that stunt every year. Enough that the other villains rob his house, knowing that he'll be gone.

[[folder: Web Originals]]

* Homer from ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has stolen Christmas a few times, though he had good reasons...
-->'''Homer''': You're a smart one, Homer J.,\\

And just a little drunk!

* There was [[ShowWithinAShow one short TV parody]] called "How the Grinchy-Poo Stole Christmas!" from the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode, "Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!" Also some characters from the episodes "Cartmanland" and "Woodland Critter Christmas" parody some [[IncrediblyLamePun "lines"]] they borrowed from ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
* From 2002 to 2005, {{Nickelodeon}} ran a series of shorts parodying the classic 1960s Christmas specials with the Nicktoon characters every December. One segment, titled ''How the You-Know-Who Stole the You-Know-What!'', featured Angelica from ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', as "Grinchelica", stealing all the candy from the other Nicktoon characters.

* Dr. Claw of ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' once tried to steal all of the toys from SantaClaus before he could deliver them on Christmas Eve.
* A minor example: The ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' "Tanks for the Memories" has Rainbow Dash trying to stop winter from coming so she can keep her pet turtle from hibernating. At one point she makes a face reminiscent of the Grinch's.