Holidays

A Christmas Carol

Holidays
A Christmas Carol
Rate this topic

A Christmas Carol is a classic novella by English author Charles Dickens that explores the themes of greed and redemption through the transformation of a bitter elderly miser. The story centers on the protagonist’s nocturnal encounters with supernatural visitors who guide him through his past, present, and future on Christmas Eve.

Did you know? The term Merry Christmas was already well-known, but the popularity of A Christmas Carol helped make the phrase a standard holiday greeting in the Victorian era. elaborate

Fact 1 of 21

21 facts about A Christmas Carol

  1. 1
    In the book, Scrooge's nephew Fred is actually the son of Scrooge's deceased sister, Fan, whom he loved very much as a boy.
  2. 2
    A common misconception is that Scrooge was a banker, but he was actually a money-lender, a profession that was viewed very negatively in the 1800s.
  3. 3
    Some early readers were so moved by the story that they reportedly sent money to the offices of the publisher to give to the poor, believing the Cratchit family was real.
  4. 4
    Many people assume Scrooge hated Christmas because he was a villain, but the text implies he hates it because it reminds him of his lonely childhood.
  5. 5
    There is a character in the book named Ignorance and another named Want, both of whom are hidden under the robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present.
  6. 6
    The very first illustrations for the book were etched by John Leech, who famously had to argue with Dickens about how scary the ghosts should look.
  7. 7
    During his public readings, Dickens was so dedicated that he would act out the voices of every character, including sobbing loudly as Tiny Tim.
  8. 8
    The name Ebenezer means stone of help, which is ironic since Scrooge acts like a block of ice for most of the story.
  9. 9
    Charles Dickens wrote the entire novella in just six weeks during a frantic burst of creativity to solve his money problems.
  10. 10
    Scrooge's clerk, Bob Cratchit, only earns 15 shillings a week, which was barely enough to survive in 1840s London.
  11. 11
    In some versions of the story, Scrooge is depicted as having a much more intense wardrobe, but the book notes he usually wears a simple nightcap.
  12. 12
    Scrooge's nephew, Fred, is described as being 'all in a glow' in the book, acting as a direct, cheerful contrast to Scrooge's 'frosty' personality.
  13. 13
    The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the only spirit that does not speak a single word throughout the entire story.
  14. 14
    The word 'stave' used to name the chapters refers to a staff of music, essentially treating the book like a musical score.
  15. 15
    Tiny Tim is not actually mentioned as being physically disabled by a specific disease in the book; the text only mentions he uses a crutch and has iron braces.
  16. 16
    The book was published just days before Christmas on December 19, 1843, and the first print run of 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve.
  17. 17
    During his public readings, Dickens was so dedicated that he would physically act out every single character, including changing his voice for Tiny Tim.
  18. 18
    Charles Dickens wrote the entire novella in just six weeks during the autumn of 1843.
  19. 19
    Many people assume that Scrooge is the first character to say Bah Humbug, but the phrase had been used in British literature and slang for decades before Dickens ever wrote the book.
  20. 20
    Charles Dickens originally planned to title the book A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, but he chose to refer to the chapters as staves, which are musical notations, to emphasize the book's song-like structure.
  21. 21
    The term Merry Christmas was already well-known, but the popularity of A Christmas Carol helped make the phrase a standard holiday greeting in the Victorian era.
Keep exploring

More in Holidays

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Rate this topic
Holidays
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The film was written by John Hughes and is based on his own short story Christmas '59, which was published in National Lampoon magazine. elaborate

Black Friday
Rate this topic
Holidays
Black Friday

The name Black Friday was originally coined by police in Philadelphia in the 1950s to describe the chaotic traffic jams and crowded sidewalks that occurred the day after Thanksgiving, which they dreaded working. elaborate

Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Rate this topic
Holidays
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Ugly Christmas sweater parties became a mainstream trend in the early 2000s after two men in Vancouver hosted a themed party to poke fun at the tacky holiday knitwear they had been gifted by relatives. elaborate

Candy Canes
Rate this topic
Holidays
Candy Canes

While many believe candy canes were invented to look like a shepherd's crook to represent the Christmas story, there is no historical evidence to support this, and it is likely just a sweet folklore tale. elaborate

Hanukkah
Rate this topic
Holidays
Hanukkah

Many people believe that Hanukkah is the most important holiday in Judaism, but it is actually considered a minor festival compared to holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. elaborate

Christmas Trees
Rate this topic
Holidays
Christmas Trees

In the early 1900s, some people were so worried about the fire hazards of real candles on trees that they tried to use slices of raw potatoes as candle holders, hoping the moisture would keep the branches from catching fire. elaborate