A Christmas Carol

Christmas story. in prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, better known as A Christmas Carol, is a short novel written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843. The book tells the story of a greedy and selfish man named Ebenezer Scrooge and his change after being visited by a series of ghosts on Christmas Eve.

Dickens gave his first formal expression to his Christmas thoughts in his series of small books, the first of which was the famous "Christmas Carol"

The success of the book was immediate. Thackeray wrote of it:

"Who can listen to objections regarding such a book as this? It seems to me a national benefit, and to every man or woman who reads it, a personal kindness."

Dickens seems to have put his whole self into these glowing little stories. Whoever sees but a clever ghost story in the "Christmas Carol" misses its chief charm and lesson, for there is a different meaning in the movements of Ebenezer Scrooge and his attendant spirits.

A new life is brought to Scrooge when he, "running to his window, opened it and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sun-light; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious! Glorious!"