UPDATE: A Penticton family that had a noticeable element stolen from its outdoor Christmas display says it’s been returned.
On Friday, April Hughes told Global News that their lovable, handcrafted and life-sized Grinch replica was returned sometime in the morning.
Hughes said “I guess someone’s heart grew three times last night.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
A Penticton family is making a plea to the Grinch who allegedly stole the Grinch from their front yard Christmas display.
When April Hughes woke up Wednesday morning, she looked out the window and couldn’t see the Grinch, which had been sitting on a tractor seat in the front yard the night before.
“Our first thought was, ‘Oh, he fell over,'” said Chanel Hughes, April’s daughter.
But when they went outside to right the ornament, the Grinch was gone.
The family says the decoration wasn’t worth much money, but years ago, they hand-crafted the Grinch with a metal frame, stuffed him with newspapers and plastic bags, dressed him up in grandad’s Santa suit, and put him on display.
They are hoping that, like in the Dr. Seuss book How the Grinch Stole Christmas and several related movies, the culprit’s heart will soon grow three sizes.
“We hope so,” Chanel Hughes said. “We’ve had Christmas decorations stolen before and they turned up two years later on our lawn.”
The Hughes’ Christmas display is a favourite in Penticton, and sometimes the family even receives fan mail.
They’ve received a lot of community support since the theft, with people contacting them to say they are keeping an eye out for both Grinches.