The more I grow up, the more I identify with Betty Lou Who (and not in a good way).
For those who need the reminder, Betty Lou Who is Cindy Lou Who’s mother in Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She’s best known for trying to outdo Martha May Whovier with her Christmas decorations, stealing all the lights from her house, and falling off a roof in the process. She does all this to prove herself, and that frantic need to present the perfect version of yourself is something many people can relate to during this time, myself included. It’s a brief scene in the first fifteen minutes of the film, but to me, Betty Lou Who’s Christmas light chaos mirrors the pressure you feel once December comes around, and nothing fuels that feeling faster than comparison.
As the holidays come up, the temptation to compare yourself to other people, their gifts, holiday vacations, and overall situations is at an all-time high. It becomes hard to enjoy the Christmas cheer with the pressure to keep up looming over your head. I, like Betty, can get caught up in trying to have as much fun as others seem to be having, and it overshadows the actual point of the holidays. And oftentimes, social media, a place that is meant to connect people, turns into a minefield of comparison.
When the little Grinch in your head is yodeling too loudly, and you feel the urge to compare yourself, take a second to breathe. Remember that a lot of what you see on social media is not real, and allow yourself to take a break from the source of these comparisons. The holidays are about being around family, celebrating with the people you love, and remembering all the blessings in your life.
Eventually, Betty Lou Who realized this too. By the end of the movie, she ends her rooftop chaos and joins the chorus of Whovilles singing “Welcome Christmas,” choosing love, community, and joy of the season over comparison.
So this holiday season, I encourage: don’t let the Grinch steal your Christmas, don’t be Betty Lou Who on a roof, and enjoy the moments that surround you.