From its first publication, “A Christmas Carol” has charmed and inspired millions. There have been scores of editions and translations, and many stage, TV and film adaptations, making it one of the best-loved stories of all time.

Although Dickens would write many other well-received and financially profitable books, nothing would ever quite equal the soul-satisfying joy he derived from his universally loved little novel. In time, some would call him the Apostle of Christmas.

And, at his death in 1870, a poor child in London was heard to ask: “Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?”

In a very real sense, Dickens popularized many aspects of the Christmas we celebrate today, including great family gatherings, seasonal drinks and dishes and gift giving.

“This has become the most famous Christmas story of all, with the miserly figure of Scrooge, the epitome of the callous employer, sadly crippled Tiny Tim, and the three specters – the ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.” The Christmas Carol is provided here in four parts. You may need to install a player to listen. 32K Streamed MP3 Format (for users ISDN, DSL or Cable Modems and MP3 streaming capability). Peformed by Patrick Stewart. 120 minutes. Free.

Read the complete version … A Christmas Carol (HTML on-line version)

The romantic revival of Christmas traditions that occurred in Victorian times had other contributors: Prince Albert brought the German custom of decorating the Christmas tree to England, the singing of Christmas carols (which had all but disappeared at the turn of the century began to thrive again, and the first Christmas card appeared in the 1840s. But it was the Christmas stories of Dickens, particularly his 1843 masterpiece A Christmas Carol, that rekindled the joy of Christmas in Britain and America. Today, after more than 160 years, A Christmas Carol continues to be relevant, sending a message that cuts through the materialistic trappings of the season and gets to the heart and soul of the holidays.

There are a number of movies that have been made about A Christmas Carol. Click the below links to view them

1970  Albert Finney   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHfaRVf5cUY
1984  George C. Scott   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92befrZYBLE

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Posted: Dec 25, 2006. Updated: Dec 14, 2017