At least, I assume we’ll all enjoy it—the music, the dinner, and a close-up view of an old favorite tale. What could be better?! I do hope, however, that the ghosts that haunted Ebenezer Scrooge won’t be too scary for my six-year-old grandson.
As I write this, I’m still at my home in Washington State, my suitcase spread out on the living room floor. In a couple of days, I’ll be in Indiana for a Christmas gathering with my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren. You won’t see this post until after Christmas when I’m on a plane flying back home. (WordPress makes it possible to schedule posts in advance.)
Scrooge’s third visitor, illustration by John Leech, 1843
In preparation for the holiday, my daughter has been bursting with ideas. Two months ago, she sent us a list of possibilities. And seeing “A Christmas Carol” among them, I quickly gave it a big thumbs up.
So why do I want to see a story … yet again … that I know by heart? Haven’t I already seen Scrooge at his cranky, stingy, hard-hearted worst? Haven’t I been scared before by the chain-dragging ghost of poor Jacob Marley? And yes, I do know exactly what the three ghosts (the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet-to-Come) will show Scrooge. And I’ve cried (more than once) when Tiny Tim says, “God bless us, everyone.”
But Dickens’ story is a classic, a holiday tradition. I love its message of redemption. It reminds us that there’s suffering in the world and we can help relieve it. In the snowy dark cold of winter, I like to think about the possibility of bringing joy and light into a time of darkness.
Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol was published in December of 1843. Earlier that year, Dickens was thinking of publishing a political pamphlet. He called it “An Appeal to the People of England, on behalf of the Poor Man’s Child.” But he changed his mind, deciding a story would touch people more directly. Besides, his wife was pregnant again, and they needed money.
It took Dickens only six weeks to write A Christmas Carol. After publication, it was an immediate success. Production costs were high, though, so, unfortunately, Dickens didn’t make much money from it.
By now, 171 years later, A Christmas Carol has been published and performed and filmed far too many times to mention. Even more noteworthy perhaps is the effect Dickens’ little novella had on the way we celebrate Christmas today. Historians contend that our manner of observing Christmas, with family gatherings, festive meals, and a generosity of spirit, “is largely the result of a mid-Victorian revival of the holiday spearheaded by A Christmas Carol.”
Best wishes to all.
Lovely post, Nicki. I hope that you are enjoying the season with your family. I like the story behind Dickens’s famous Christmas Carol story.
Reading about how “A Christmas Carol” was written and published, I thought at first this was going to be a case of an author not making much money from a story that later became famous. I was glad to learn, though, that Dickens did live to see how much his story was loved and to make some money from it.
I’ve enjoyed following your blog this year, Evelyne. I wish you all the best in the coming year.
Glad to know you had a lovely time with your family, Nicki 🙂 Very best wishes to you all for 2015.
Thank you, Jo. May 2015 bring you happiness and many lovely walks.
I watch some version of A Christmas Carol every year. My favorite is one done in the late thirties with Reginald Owen which I haven’t seen in years. Interesting to learn that the book had such a strong influence on how we celebrate Christmas today which I find completely believable. Books have such power, don’t they? There are those that attribute the well-spring of emotion generated by “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” to hastening the beginning of the Civil War.
I don’t usually re-watch movies, but I never tire of seeing “A Christmas Carol.” It gives us an opportunity to reexamine our lives in the guise of being onlookers of Scrooge’s life. Sometimes a single book like “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is powerful. More often, I think, it’s the sum of all the books we read–both as individuals and as a culture.
We watch one or more versions of A Christmas Carol every year. It’s a favorite Holiday Tradition for me and I always feel better for having watched it.
Hope you all had a wonderful time during your visit.
We did have a wonderful time. The singers and actors did an excellent job. My six-year-old grandson knew the story ahead of time, but he still found a couple of the ghosts frightening: Marley with all his chains and the Ghost of Christmas-Yet-to-Come, who was dressed in black and flew over the top of the diners.
Thank you, Nicki! And Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, Jan.
What fun! My grandaughter, Bella, has been Tiny Tim twice at the Roxy Theater (pro/amature) in Clarksville, TN. The first time she was only 6 and the second time she was 8 years old. She said to me, “Grandma, the reason I didn’t get it when I was seven is, some dumb old boy showed up to audition and got the part that time!” The part ended the play with Tiny Tim singing a solo! How she got the confidence to do that is beyond me! In addition, she was the smallest child in The Sound of Music and Cosette in Les Miserables. Where she gets this talent is a mystery!!
Tiny Tim is the heart of the story. Congratulations to Bella. She must be very talented to do the smallest child in The Sound of Music and Cosette in Les Miserables. Wow!!!
A Christmas Carol truly is a gift that keeps on giving and giving across centuries. How nice to attribute the festive nature of the holidays to Dickens. Do you think that is really true?,
Before Dickens’ time, no one sent Christmas cards and most people had no vacation from work for Christmas. Christmas trees, toys for ordinary children, carol singing, Santa Claus, and turkey for Christmas all became popular at about that time. “A Christmas Carol” came at just the right time, during the Industrial Revolution. It was immediately very popular and was a big influence, especially in encouraging the rich to give to the poor.