You know how people have a ‘traditional Christmas movie’ they watch every year on the 25th? I think this novella by Charles Dickens might just become my ‘Christmas book’. I’m serious.
I don’t suppose there is anyone on this planet who doesn’t know the story of the transformation of bitter old miser Ebenezer Scrooge after a visit by the ghost of his long dead business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. As we travel back in time, Christmas Past evokes such strong nostalgia and sorrow in equal measure as we miss a lot of what was, and still shudder from a lot of what should never have been. Christmas Present was one of the more bright and beautiful renditions of this occasion that I have ever read anywhere. The cheer and the sparkle of the sights sounds and smells came out of the pages and surrounded me in a warm glow of unbridled happiness. Christmas Yet to Come was such a grim reminder of how easily we could lose touch of the beauty of life, if we focussed on things that are really so insignificant when all is said and done.
This book was first published on 19 December 1843. From over 200 years ago comes this heart-warming tale of unshakeable hope and unstoppable joy. And regardless of whether or not you want to associate this day with any religious overtones (I don’t), you cannot ignore that unbreakable spirit of basic human goodness that this story shines a light on.
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