The Grinch stole Christmas at Eastern again this year as part of Sigma Tau Delta and the foreign languages department’s reading of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

Melissa Caldwell, English professor and adviser for Sigma Tau Delta, said the English honors fraternity and the foreign languages department have hosted the reading for more than five years.

However, this annual presentation of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” is no ordinary reading.

More than 50 people came Tuesday night to the Tarble Arts Center to listen to the classic children’s story read by international and foreign languages students in various different languages.

“It’s to celebrate multiculturalism on campus,” Caldwell said.

Christiane Eydt-Beebe, chair of the foreign languages department, said last year two professors read the book in old English and Italian.

This year, the story was read in more than five different languages.

“It’s important that we represent (Eastern’s) diverse community,” Eydt-Beebe said.

English majors John Brown and Autumn Frykholm read in English; foreign languages majors Matthew Wilkie and Gladys Valentin read in Spanish; foreign languages major Rebecca Duke and music major Alison Stangel read in French; history major Tanner Skym and foreign languages major Hannah Blevins read in German; English major and international student Kate Shin read in Korean; finance major and international student Yuan Yuan read in Mandarin; and accounting major Abdul Ali read the story in Arabic.

Each student took turns up to the podium to read while English major Heather Lamb, dressed as the Grinch, and English major Brandon Berglund, dressed as the Grinch’s dog Max, made their way through the audience acting out scenes being read from the book.

Frykholm and Brown said the students translated their own pages and were responsible for their individual parts.

Before and after the reading, Wilkie and Skym performed Elvis’ “Blue Christmas” and other holiday songs. Wilkie played guitar while Skym sang dressed up as Elvis.

Holiday-themed food and beverages were also served to everyone who attended. In addition, the Tarble Arts Center also opened its doors to the displayed exhibits to anyone who attended the reading.

Angelica Cataldo can be reached at 581-2812 or amcataldo@eiu.edu.