Spreading holiday cheer: Hundreds of families attend 12th annual ‘Whobalation’ in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — Gathered around a brightly lit Christmas tree under the pavilion at Millside Park, hundreds of children and their families eagerly waited for the arrival of two infamous holiday figures as part of the 12th annual “Holiday Whobalation.”

At the turn of 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, a siren blared from the opposite side of Eastworks, where Santa and the Grinch rolled over in a fire truck to meet and greet them all.

“I always want to spread cheer during the holiday season,” said Santa Claus, taking pictures with kids alongside the Grinch. “It’s made my heart grow 1,000 times larger this year, looking out over Millside Park and seeing all these smiling faces.”

The two were guided toward the pavilion by Easthampton Community Center (ECC) Executive Director Robin Bialecki and upon arrival, Santa and the Grinch hugged out their differences.

At its core, Whobalation is a toy drive for the ECC, where visitors leave unwrapped toys under the tree to donate to families in need ahead of the holiday season.

Bialecki said the ECC helps provide anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 presents each year to children in the Valley. The Whobalation garners a couple hundred presents each year — ranging from small bicycles to building blocks that sat under the tree on Sunday.

“It’s been just phenomenal,” Bialecki said about the support the event. “More and more people come each year.”

While the event has become a holiday tradition for many families, it started as just a “flash mob” more than a decade ago. Quickly, it evolved into a community celebration of sorts it is today.

Easthampton resident Amelia Morris was thrilled to meet Santa with her parents Mariellen and Kyle Morris. The family has been coming to the event for the past few years, and Amelia Morris is hoping Santa will bring her “little toy elves and slime” this year for Christmas.

“We just think this is a great community event and it is for a great cause,” said Mariellen Morris.

The annual event spawned from the local legend that Easthampton and Mount Tom were both the inspiration behind Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Locals believe that the Grinch’s lair on Mt. Crumpit is Mt. Tom, looming over the the city considered to locals as Whoville.

“You know, we talk about being Whoville. It’s never really been proven but it sort of just stuck,” Bialecki said. “And it does look like if you’re on the mountain looking down it could definitely be.”

However, Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote and illustrated under the pen name Dr. Seuss, never confirmed the true sources of inspiration for the tale. In fact, many rumors circulated around the country to discern where the true Whoville is. For instance, Geisel owned a home overlooking the University of Virginia where the students are called “Wahoos,” leading to many saying that was the inspiration.

According to a biographer of Geisel, Charles Cohen, the author more likely took inspiration from his California home on Mt. Soledad overlooking a village outside of San Diego.

That information came from Rick Teller, a retired archivist at the Williston Northampton School, questioning Cohen in 2014. Cohen said it is a quirk of human nature to make local connections to famous people.

Lainey Wood, who is one of the original organizers for the Whobalation and grew up in the area, said she was told that Easthampton was Whoville.

“When I was a kid growing up, any time we drove down the mountain my parents said it (Easthampton) was Whoville,” she said. “So, I always thought it was.”

Another organizer, Fahn Miner, shared a similar story. “Everyone in Easthampton will die on their hill saying Easthampton is Whoville.”

Miner said in its the first year, the Whobalation started with 30 invitations to meet at the gazebo on the Union Street Rotary to sing. But, word got out, and they were greeted by dozens more to sing “Welcome Christmas,” otherwise known as “Fah Who Foraze.”

While they didn’t sing this year, the Whobalation would soon grow so large that a move to Millside Park was necessary and soon adopted the toy drive to help donate to charity.

“It’s just a great reminder that even a curmudgeon and someone grouchy can change and embody the true spirit of Christmas which is love, kindness and family,” Miner said, referencing “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” book as well as the annual Whobalation event.

And still, residents of the city like to consider themselves the “Who’s” of Whoville. And for state Rep. Homar Gómez, D-Easthampton, it is the people of Easthampton that embody what it means to be Whoville.

“It’s the charm and it’s the people,” he said. “Events like this one, bringing toys for all the kids — look at how many people we have here today.”