Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Original and Limited Edition Art (1966)

The plot is faithful to that of the original book. The only notable additions being the addition of color (the original book was in dichromatic red and black, with the occasional pink), the early appearance of the Grinch's dog Max, and the insertion of three songs: the Christmas carol"Welcome Christmas" (sung by a studio chorus at the beginning and closing of the program), the polka-styled "Trim Up the Tree," and the now famous "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (performed by an uncredited Thurl Ravenscroft). Almost all narrations are made verbatim from the book. The major additions to the narration are a description of the noise-making Whos on Christmas morning and the substitution of nonsensical Seuss-like gifts such as "bizzle-binks" instead of the mundane gifts such as bicycles and popcorn. A protracted animation sequence, with no spoken parts, in which the Grinch and Max advance from the mountain to Whoville with comical difficulty on Christmas Eve was also added, to extend the time length of the special.

It is Christmas Eve down in Whoville, and everyone's decorating for the big day tomorrow. Everyone, that is, but the Grinch (voiced by Boris Karloff), a depressed, wicked-tempered grouch with a sour attitude who lives in a mountain cave just north of Whoville. He absolutely hates everything about Christmas because of the noise surrounding the entire town on Christmas Day (though it seems that, despite his sour attitude, he is very patient seeing as it was said, by the Grinch, that, "For fifty-three years I've put up with this, now!"). The Grinch tries to come up with a plan of "keeping Christmas from coming." Just then, he notices his dog, Max (voiced by Dallas McKennon), covered in snow in a Santa Claus-like way. The Grinch then gets the notion of disguising himself as Santa and stealing all of the Whos' presents, believing that that is enough to stop the holiday from coming.

First, he cuts out a coat and a hat and sews some fluff onto them. Next, he takes a reindeer horn and ties it to Max. Finally, the Grinch brings out a big stack of bags, loads it onto his ramshackle sleigh, and starts down on his journey to Whoville in a very comical way.

Down in Whoville, the Grinch starts to steal everything in the first house. Cindy Lou Who (voiced by June Foray) wakes up and asks him why he's taking the Christmas tree. The Grinch lies and tells her that something is wrong with a lightbulb on this tree and he will fix it up. After tucking Cindy Lou back in bed, the Grinch stuffs up the tree, takes the log for their fire, and goes up "the chimney himself, the old liar." He does the same thing for every house afterwards.

Loaded with everything related to Christmas that the Whos own, the Grinch and Max takes up the loot to Mt. Crumpit to send the whole load off the side of the mountain. Feeling joyous at the moment, the Grinch listens for a sad cry from the Whos. Instead, the Whos are still happy and are singing carols. The Grinch realizes he didn't prevent Christmas - "Somehow or other, it came just the same!" - and begins to understand the true meaning of Christmas. The Grinch barely retrieves the sled from falling over the edge of the mountain (thanks to his heart growing three sizes that day, giving him "the strength of ten Grinches plus two!"). He brings everything back to the Whos and is invited to participate in the holiday feast, where he carves the roast beast.