Skip to main content

Where to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (both versions)

When someone asks you which fictional character best represents Christmas, which one immediately comes to mind? OK, besides Santa Claus? Some Gen-Xers might conjure up Macauley Culkin’s Kevin McCallister from Home Alone. Gen Z may offer Will Ferrell as the titular Elf. But to many baby boomers, there remains only one character who symbolizes the holidays: the Grinch!

Everyone’s favorite surly green creature from Mount Crumpit is a Christmas staple and one that has been immortalized in not one, not two, but three movies and TV shows that have won over generation after generation of kids. Some like the original animated 1960s half-hour episode best while others prefer the manic 2000 live-action Jim Carrey movie. No matter which version you prefer, we’re here to show where you can stream all of them.

Where can you watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version)?

The Grinch talks to a dog inDr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

For fans of the live-action Jim Carrey version, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, you’ll find that movie on both Hulu and HBO Max.

Hulu, which is owned in part by Disney, has access to an unparalleled collection of over 1,300 TV shows, making it a great choice if what you really want is a replacement for cable TV access to the major networks. Most shows are available the day after they air live on their respective broadcasters, except for CBS, which is not a part of Hulu. It has a decent collection of  1,200 movies, but you can tell that movies are not the principal attraction.

Stream How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Hulu

HBO Max gives you access to a pretty broad array of titles. including all of the HBO original programming that has ever been made. We’re talking such classic series as The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, and The Wire, as well as current hits like The Staircase, Irma Vep, and House of the Dragon.

HBO Max also has many selections from the Warner Bros. library like The Batman and Don’t Worry Darling and anime classics from Studio Ghibli and Crunchyroll. In short, it’s a lot of great stuff.

Stream How the Grinch Stole Christmas on HBO Max

Where can you watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (the 1960s version)?

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

For fans of the animated 1966 version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, you’ll find that movie on Peacock. Launched in 2020, Peacock is the home to NBC Universal and Comcast properties such as Universal Pictures, the Olympics, Bravo, and Saturday Night Live.

Peacock is the home to popular NBC shows like The OfficeThis Is UsLaw & Order, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The service boasts many sports programs from the WWE, NFL, and Premier League. Peacock has expanded its scripted and non-scripted original programming, including shows like Vampire Academy and Dr. Death, and a documentary about Casey Anthony. In addition, it’s home to blockbuster movies like Nope.

Stream How the Grinch Stole Christmas! on Peacock

How much does it cost?

How The Grinch Stole Christmas Trailer HD

Hulu starts at just $8 for the ad-based service or $15 for the ad-free option (which we highly recommend). Hulu’s options don’t stop there, as it also offers a live TV streaming package similar to Sling TV, YouTube TV, Philo, and Fubo. The Hulu With Live TV streaming service includes Disney+ and ESPN+. It is currently $70 per month and includes 90-plus livestreaming channels on top of its regular on-demand library. There are also add-on features like enhanced DVR and an ad-free experience for $76 per month. Starting in December 2022, these prices will increase to $75 (with ads) and $83 (no ads).

If you’re not a current HBO Max subscriber, but you’re interested in watching Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, there are a couple of different rates you can pay for access to the service. The cheapest rate includes ads and starts at $10 a month, or $100 for a full year. If you want an ad-free experience, you can pay $15 a month or $150 for a full year.

Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) - Trailer (HD)

There is no fee to sign up for the most basic level of Peacock. There is no credit card required upon signing up. All that’s needed is an email address for users to access 10,000-plus hours of content for free. The free tier is very limiting in terms of content. If you would like to access more programs from Peacock, there are various paid tiers to explore.

Peacock Premium is the first paid tier on the streaming service, with access to over 80,000-plus hours of entertainment for a monthly price of $5, or $50 per year. This tier contains ads but allows users to access new films and live events. If this tier is too restricting, users can upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus, which costs $10 per month, or $100 per year. Premium Plus includes everything from Premium, but contains no ads and allows users to download and watch programs offline.

Is any version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas worth watching?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Yes, especially the original animated version. While dated, it still offers an entertaining if short (it’s only 25 minutes long!) diversion into a classic Dr. Seuss tale. Little kids will be especially entertained by its simplistic storyline and clear good versus bad narrative.

The Jim Carrey version has both its admirers and detractors. The Ron Howard-directed live-action interpretation loses some of its magic in its big-budget translation, and Dr. Seuss can be a bit annoying at 105 minutes. Still, Carrey is at his peak comedic form here, and the makeup and production design are genuinely captivating. Fun fact: it was the highest-grossing movie of 2000, beating out such contenders as Gladiator, X-Men, and Mission: Impossible II!

Editors' Recommendations

Jason Struss
Section Editor, Entertainment
Jason is a writer, editor, and pop culture enthusiast whose love for cinema, television, and cheap comic books has led him to…
Where to watch the 2022 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony for free
national christmas tree lighting ceremony where to watch nation 1

Every Christmas brings several traditions that almost everyone experiences: shopping for impossible-to-find presents, traveling to see relatives you barely know or tolerate, watching live sports while digesting unhealthy food, and watching A Christmas Story on a constant, eternal loop.

For many Americans, watching the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C. is one of the hallmarks of the holiday. Who doesn't like watching a parade of performers, singers, and personalities gather around a tree in America's capital? What makes this year's lighting so special is that 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the beloved event.
How can you watch the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony for free?

Read more
Where to watch Home Alone: Stream Home Alone 2 and more
Home Alone

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The holiday season is officially in full swing. More importantly, the holiday movie season is off and running. From romantic comedies to family classics, there are plenty of titles to choose from for your next movie night. However, it just wouldn't be the holiday season without sitting down to watch one of the most iconic Christmas films of all time, Home Alone.

The 1990 holiday classic stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, the eight-year-old boy accidentally left at home when his family flies to Paris for Christmas vacation. At first, Kevin enjoys his freedom, eating ice cream at all hours of the day and staying up late to watch scary movies. When his house becomes the target of two burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), it's up to Kevin to defend his house and save Christmas. Experience the Christmas hijinks of Home Alone in the comfort of your own home on a streaming service.
Where to watch Home Alone in the U.S.

Read more
Where to watch It’s a Wonderful Life
Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey holding his wife in one arm and his daughter in another.

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings." These immortal words were uttered in the timeless classic It's a Wonderful Life, and they still echo in virtually every living room in America around Christmastime. There are Christmas classics, like A Christmas Story and A Charlie Brown Christmas, and then there's It's a Wonderful Life, which is in a league of its own.

The 1946 Frank Capra movie is about a down-on-his-luck (OK, suicidal) man who discovers the worth his life has for his family and his town through a magical intervention by Clarence, an angel. But you already know that. Nearly everyone has watched It's a Wonderful Life, and most will watch it again. It's that good -- and that essential for celebrating Christmas. But where can one watch it?
Where can you watch It's a Wonderful Life?

Read more