On Thursday, December 6th, the estimable Betty White was awarded the Whomanitarian award for her lifelong dedication to animal welfare. Ms. White graciously accepted the honor and kicked off Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood. The family friendly event runs this weekend, then December 15th through December 31st and features celebrity readings of the classic Dr. Seuss story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White
Real snowman slowly melting away.
universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White
Each night, Universal fills the former Wild West arena with real snow.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White
Youngsters were invited to fill the area in front of the stage.

The presentation began and Whos began to prance about the stage, sing and engage the audience of children before them in the snow.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

The Who’s brought the Grinch in to help kick off Grnichmas.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

The Mayor of Whoville presents Betty White.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

And with that, Grinchmas officially began!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

Betty is one cool lady. Her original passion was to become a zookeeper or ranger. But acting took hold and her career took off. She has served as a trustee for over 40 years for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. She has also worked tirelessly to help keep endangered species from the brink of extinction. A true friend of our furry and flippered friends, Betty White was recognized in a very grinchy way.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Bestows Whomanitarian Award Upon Betty White
Congratulations Betty, and thank you!

 

Here’s a video of the brief, but charming, ceremony:

 

What is Grinchmas?  During the day, it is a winter wonderland of real snow that guests can play in.  In the evenings, there are celebrity readings of the classic Dr. Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with a tree lighting to top things off.

The main celebrations take place in the upper lot at the center of Universal Studios Hollywood.  Once inside the main gates, you really can’t miss the whimsical, curvy Christmas Tree on the horizon.  Follow that and you will find the snow, and the arena for the nightly show.

Below is a full listing for the celebrity readings of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Note that there are usually two performances each night, but show times vary.  Before heading out, don’t forget to double check the full show schedule on the Universal Website here

Celebrity Readings of How the Grinch Stole Christmas
December 8th
Nia Vardalos 5:30pm
Alison Sweeney 6:15pm

December 9th
Jillian Michaels 5:30pm
Daniella Monet 6:15pm

Dec 15th
Yvette Nicole Brown 7:00pm

Dec 16th
Tahj Mowry 6:15pm
Yarel Ramos 7:00pm

Dec 17th
Jillian Rose Reed & Nikki de Loach 6:15pm
Danny Pudi 7:00pm

Dec 18th
Corbin Bernsen, Kirsten Nelson & Kurt Fuller 6:15pm
Sierra McCormick 7:00pm

Dec 19th
Ryan Beatty 6:15pm
Lu Parker 7:00pm

Dec 20th
Tia Mowry-Hardict 6:15pm

Dec 21st
Jamar Rogers 6:15
Tim Dekay, Willie Garson & Tiffany Thiessen 7:30pm

Dec 22nd

Peyton List 6:15
Diego Boneta 7:30pm

Dec 23rd
Xolo Mariduena 6:15
Raphael Sbarge 7:30pm

Dec 24th
Lauren Bowles 6:15pm
Sharif Atkins 7:30pm

Dec 25th
Kate Linder 6:15pm
Chris Gorham 7:30pm

Dec 26th
Matthew Fahey 6:15pm
Kirk Cameron 7:30pm

Dec 27th
Camryn Manheim 6:15pm
Benjamin Stockham 7:30pm

Dec 28th
Ryan Potter 6:15pm
Ryan Newman 7:30pm

Dec 29th
Teri Reeves 7:30pm

Dec 30th
China Anne McClain 6:15pm
Steve Blake 7:30pm

Dec 31st
Dot Marie Jones 7:30pm

There is also a bit of Grinchmas fun on the backlot tour as well.  As the tram pulls through the Whoville set, the whos bring the set (located next to the Psycho House) to life with song and dance.

Please join us in congratulating Betty White on her award. She’s certainly earned it. If you’re a fan of Betty White, please be sure to give this article a thumbs up on Facebook and leave a comment below.

Norman Gidney
Norman Gidney, also known as Fishbulb, has produced and edited many of the articles on MiceChat over the years.