How the Grinch Stole Christmas! to let out bitter and sorrowful cries, but is confused to hear them singing a joyous Christmas song instead. He is puzzled until it dawns on him that "maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more" than just presents and feasting. The Grinch's shrunken heart suddenly grows three sizes. The reformed and liberated Grinch returns to the village to give back all of the Whos' Christmas stuff and participate in their Christmas feast. The Grinch first appeared in a 32-line illustrated poem by Dr. Seuss called "The Hoobub and the Grinch," which was originally published in the May 1955 edition
How the Ghosts Stole Christmas not used for awhile. However, Carter, wanting to keep the haunted house motif, decided to set the episode in a haunted house and asked Kaplan to design a mansion set that was "bleak, but not too bleak [...] decrepit, but not too decrepit," and "deserted, but not too deserted." At the time, "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" featured the smallest cast in "X-Files" history, with only David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and the two guest stars interacting. Lily Tomlin, who played the part of Lyda, had originally approached "The X-Files" producers several seasons prior and asked to be cast in an