You might have seen an image of a blue-tinted, smiling Grinch with the caption, “That feeling when knee surgery is tomorrow.” The meme has proved surprisingly durable, but what on earth does it mean?

From his storybook legacy to his modern-day anti-holiday influence, the Grinch has become an enduring face of the holidays—sincerely or otherwise. Reading time 5 minutes He’s a meme one, Mr. Grinch, ...