When choosing a movie to watch during the holiday season, the Grinch is always a name that comes to mind — but what version of the classic Christmas tale should you choose? Inspired by Dr. Seuss’ 1957 book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, all three of the cinematic flicks bring their own charm to the story.

The first — and shortest — of the three versions was released on CBS network as a TV special in 1966 titled How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Two more variations followed: The Jim Carrey-led live-action film How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000 and the animated movie The Grinch in 2018.

All of the movies follow the Grinch, a bright green cynic, as he sets out on a mission with his dog, Max, to ruin the Christmas season for the citizens of Whoville. Cindy Lou Who, a young Who, believes the Grinch may have some goodness in his heart and helps him learn the true meaning of Christmas.

Taylor Momsen, who starred as Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), shared with PEOPLE in 2020, "I think that people love The Grinch just simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it's so heartwarming and it has such a good message."

Here is everything to know about each film’s take on the iconic narrative and where to watch every Grinch movie this holiday season.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

The first and shortest feature to bring Dr. Seuss’ book to life came in 1966 and introduced the infamous song, “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft. Narrated by Boris Karloff, this first version of the Grinch sparked the start of the holiday icon’s popularity.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is available to rent or buy on Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu. The film is also streaming on Peacock, where subscriptions start at $5.99/month.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The live-action version was created 34 years after the 1966 special was introduced. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Carrey as the Grinch, this adaptation was an immediate hit. How the Grinch Stole Christmas brings a darker feel compared to the original animation thanks to the grim setting of the Grinch’s cave on Mt. Crumpit and the eerie prosthetics and makeup applied to Carrey, which took around two and a half hours to complete for each day of filming, per Entertainment Weekly.

Momsen was 7 years old when she portrayed Cindy Lou Who, and was one of the few characters who didn't sport the infamous Who citizen nose in the film. Speaking to PEOPLE in 2020, she shared, “I was too young to wear the prosthetics so they wrote a line into the film, 'She hasn’t even grown into her nose yet,' so they just put full blush on my nose.”

This rendition also dives deeper into the Grinch's reasoning for disliking the Christmas season, including his time spent in an orphanage and his negative experience in elementary school with fellow Who classmates.

You can rent or buy How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play or Vudu.

The Grinch (2018)

Despite being the villain of the feature film, the Grinch is tough to hate in the 2018 flick. The bright and friendly animations bring an overall joyful tone to the film. Most notably known for Tyler, The Creator’s version of “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch," the song maintains the familiar sound of Ravenscroft’s original tune but adds a fun twist, synonymous with the film's lightheartedness and modern animations. Benedict Cumberbatch and Cameron Seely voice The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, while Kenan Thompson's take on Bricklebaum, an extra cheerful Who, adds a comedic element to the film. Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams and Angela Lansbury also star.

The Grinch is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movie and Vudu. You can also stream The Grinch with a valid fuboTV or Peacock subscription.

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