About 80 children from Vicksburg and the surrounding area have been spending at least some of their Christmas break at the YMCA where they’ve learned Christmas is less about getting and more about giving.

Director of camping and childcare Mille Wolfe said she and her staff used the Grinch’s story to show kids that even though the Grinch tried to ruin Christmas, it comes anyway.

“It means more than presents and decorations and all that, it means that we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus,” she said. “The kids think ‘The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is just a kids’ book, but for a preacher to use it for a devotion with all adults made them realize it’s not just a kids’ story and Christmas is more than all the trimmings and decorations.”

On their own, the children decided the motto for the camp would be “It’s not about what you get, it’s what you give,” Wolfe said. “It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus.”

Beechwood Elementary student Natalie Mann, 9, said the Grinch needs to learn more about Christmas and think about what it’s all about.

“He took all the presents, the Christmas tree and all the ornaments and stockings and everything he thought Christmas was all about,” she said. “He even took the food they were going to eat for the feast. All he left was one tiny crumb too small for a mouse.”

The Grinch is mean at the beginning, but eventually he learns, said Ethan Shores, 10, of Warren Central Intermediate.

The Grinch thought Christmas came from the store, but eventually he learned.

“Christmas isn’t about getting, it’s about giving,” he said.

Shores said his favorite part about Christmas camp was that everyone was nice to one another.

The camp will continue into next week, ending on New Years Eve.

Children attending the camp will participate in swim and gym time, in addition to snacks and crafts centered around the weeks’ theme, including a Grinch made out of grapes, strawberries and bananas. Mann said her favorite part of camp is making art and decorations.

For more information, visit the YMCA at 267 YMCA Place or call 601-638-1071. The YMCA recently changed its hours of operations to include Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.