On this day 180 years ago, Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas story A Christmas Carol was published. Dickens, who had already achieved critical acclaim following the release of works including Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, penned the story in a few short weeks for publication before Christmas 1843.
The story and its message have withstood the test of time, becoming a permanent fixture of the festive season. Ebenezer Scrooge, the book’s rich, miserly main character, stands as a timeless symbol of redemption. Despising Christmas and the joy it brings, Scrooge’s transformation from a man deriving pleasure only from his wealth to one filled with goodwill still resonates.
Characters and phrases from the book have remained relevant for well over a hundred years. The term ‘Scrooge’, for instance, is still a byword for a miser, while the phrase ‘Bah, humbug’ remains an expression of grumpy disdain.
The National Endowment for the Arts has described it as “a holiday staple for nearly two centuries,” inspiring a plethora of adaptations. Notable among these are the 1951 black-and-white movie featuring Alistair Sims as Scrooge, and the non-traditional retelling in The Muppet Christmas Carol.
