The Grinch who stole Vallejo’s heart
Vallejoan uses the iconic character to spread holiday love
“And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.”
So the Dr. Suess story goes. But the heart of Lisa Gutierrez-Wilson — who took over the persona of the green-faced, reformed Christmas hater — has never stopped growing.
All it takes is a little love.
“I wish I had a different voice so that I could really sound like the Grinch — I try to get the kids to hug me because that makes my heart grow,” said GutierrezWilson, her hand over her heart. “I want to teach them about how the love will change a person.”
It was by complete accident that the retired parole officer fell into the role of the big- bellied curmudgeon five years ago in preparation for the Mad Hatter Holiday parade.
“The dancers with the Vallejo Peace Project were picking out their costumes and all the other dancers picked out their cutesy type things and I figured, why not? I’ll be the Grinch,” Gutierrez-Wilson said.
Lisa wasn’t prepared for the popularity of the iconic character.
“I would have never, in a million years, believed how popular the Grinch was going to be, ” said Gutierrez-Wilson. “I ended up being dragged into marching in the parade and eventually ended up in the grand marshal’s car. It just happened. Not even planned. So now, every year I don’t ever get to dress up cute when we dance, I’m the Grinch.”
A nd she wouldn’t have it any other way. Gutierrez-Wilson makes up for her small stature with a big personality — fitting for a larger-than-life Grinch character.
“I’m never really a different person. But it’s kind of fun because I get to stick my stomach out and look gross and grumpy and walk with attitude,” Gutierrez-Wilson chuckled.
According to Lisa, the Grinch makes random appearances around Vallejo just trying to bring the spirit back and give people something different during these difficult times. The Grinch donned her Santa hat and coat as she popped into places like Mesai’s Merry Toy Drive, the Christian Help Center and Faith Food Friday. The Grinch even had a special request to visit a neighborhood of children, where they held an impromptu parade around the block. Through it all, there was GutierrezWilson, smiling ear to ear.
“For me,” said Gutierrez-Wilson, “what I get is bringing joy to people. Being silly and funny and totally out of character. There are so many people who don’t know it’s me until I say something. I think that’s a lot of fun.”
Of course, the Grinch would never happen without the help of talented makeup artist Ronnie Kale. Gutierrez-Wilson met the Cheshire Cat face-painted Kale when she was 14 before a Mad Hatter parade. The two have been great friends since.
Kale has streamlined the Grinch makeup process to take about 30 minutes, which is good since the character makes about five or six appearances every year.
“I plan on being the Grinch until this old body gives out or until my makeup artist can’t do it anymore. Because there is no Grinch without Ronnie,” said Gutierrez-Wilson.
Lisa gets a laugh when people find out that it’s her under the green feathers, because in her day-today life she is pretty much the opposite of the Grinch. Working with her son Maui Phil’s Vallejo Peace Project, Gutierrez-Wilson gets to put her probation officer people skills to work.
“I wasn’t one that put people away,” GutierrezWilson said. “I gave them chances for change.”
An unlikely characteristic of the Grinch, indeed. But for the Vallejo Grinch, Christmas isn’t a season, or once a year.
“My goal is to keep people connected all year with each other to recognize the ‘continued’ need,” said Gutierrez-Wilson with a sparkle in her eye. “It’s what I love about our community. We have so many people in our community who care.”
Though she won’t be carving any roast beast, Gutierrez-Wilsoxn plans on spending her Christmas driving around town passing out 150 loaves of bread from a baker friend to those in need.
“I guess if I had to define what Christmas means to me,” the Vallejo Grinch said with a smile, “it would be a
feeling, a spirit of unity, inclusion, lifting each other up, living it, but living it daily. We all win.”
“T hen the
Gr i n c h
thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, per
haps, means a little more?” — Dr. Seuss.