“Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.”
Whenever I read those words, I hear my Mom’s voice in my
head. I am taken back to Christmas Past,
sitting next to my Mom on one of the couches in my old house on Hilltop Drive
in South Bend, IN. It is evening. It is quiet.
The Christmas tree lights are softly glowing across the room. I am snuggled warm next to my Mom, and I am so
excited that she is reading to me! My
parents were always great about nightly stories and lullabies at bedtime. But this is extra special! This is a Christmas Ghost story! I am so excited!
I LOVE books! I love
how those words printed on the page come to life in my mind. As I sit with my head resting against my Mom’s
shoulder, I am transported to Charles Dickens’ London of the 1800s. Scrooge and his story take shape in my
mind. Scrooge, an old, stooped unsmiling
figure whose iciness and gloom surrounds him wherever he went. His business partner Marley is long dead. He pushes away humanity, trusting only money
and profit- the only things that have not disappointed him in life. His loneliness and melancholy, made even deeper
by the London fog, contrasting starkly with the warmth and coziness of my spot with
my Mom on the couch. I jump slightly as the character of Scrooge’s cheerful
nephew Fred bursts in wishing Scrooge “A Merry Christmas Uncle!”, and my Mom
deeply growls Scrooges reply of “Bah! Humbug!”
Christmas up to this point had been about Jesus, the
nativity, church carols, Christmas trees, Santa, reindeer, presents,
snowmen. This was something completely
new! Christmas with the spooky door knocker
and Marley’s ghost dragging great chains upon the floor. The Ghost of Christmas Past and dancing with
the Fezziwig’s, Scrooge’s smile as he remembers his love for Belle and his
sister, Fan. The Ghost of Christmas Present
with Fred’s wife and friends playing similes and other party games while enjoying
each other’s company. The love of the
Cratchit Family and Tiny Tim as they enjoyed their small Christmas feast and
pudding. Scrooge’s icy façade beginning
to melt as he is told that the Ghost sees “a crutch without an owner…If these
shadows remain unaltered…” The Ghost of
Christmas Yet to Come (that black, faceless, draped and shapeless form,
unspeaking with the thin finger pointing the way creeps me out to this day), the
death of Tiny Tim (WHAT?? MOM, THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT! You had to have read that
wrong!) and the cold, solitary grave
that awaits Scrooge himself if he does not change his heart and his ways. And then the bells are ringing on Christmas
Day! Christmas with Scrooge laughing and giddy as a
schoolboy that the spirits visited him all in one night! Christmas with the largest
goose ever! Christmas with forgiveness
and surprises for all as Scrooge actually smiles, let’s go of his wealth and
fear, and reembraces his friends and family, AND becomes a second father to
Tiny Tim (YAY!!! I knew you had to be
wrong about that Mom!!!) Christmas where
Scrooge “became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the
good old city knew…”
Fast forward to Christmas Present. I have a copy of A Christmas Carol on my own
personal bookshelf. (Yes, the actual
book!!!!) I try to find time to slow
down and sit with Mr. Dickens every year during the holidays. His words help to remind me what is important,
to keep our families and friends close and our hearts open. Some years the boys have snuggled with me on
the couch and listened as I, like my Mom before me, growled “Bah! Humbug” and
made Scrooge and the Ghosts come to life.
Some years we watch the George C. Scott movie version of the book (my
favorite adaptation). This
year we enjoyed the movie “The Man Who Invented Christmas” which was all about
Charles Dickens and his writing of his ghostly tale. Regardless of how we enjoy Mr. Dickens’ story
, every year we marvel at Scrooge’s grouchiness (Ash says Scrooge is the
original Grinch!), laugh at the silly parts, cry about Tiny Tim, and rejoice with
Scrooge, Fred, Bob Cratchit, and of course Tiny Tim as all are redeemed and let
Christmas into their hearts.
And Christmas Yet to Come you ask? Yes, A Christmas Carol will be there on my
shelf, ready to be opened, read, and enjoyed.
A time for slowing down, snuggling on the couch together and letting
Christmas enter our hearts. (Grandma
Peggy, are you up for another retelling?)
“And so, as tiny Tim observed, God bless Us Every One!”
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