A Christmas Carol Retrospect

I love Christmas. Probably not as much as most people, especially those that go all out with decorating the outside of their houses with millions of lights, snow machines, animatronic waving Santa's and the like. You know who those people are. Crazy.

Me? I like to keep it simple. Decorate the inside with trees, tinsel, wearing Christmas jumpers and wearing Santa hats, as well as listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies. Perfectly fine and traditional.

I suppose that speaks volumes about me as a person, because while I don't show my love or support for the happy holiday on the outside, on the inside I'm just as excited about Christmas as any other six year old child but in many different ways. In fact, it resembles my favourite Christmas story of all time (and if you've already read the title before reading this latest entry, you have a pretty good idea of what it is).

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Man, what a story. Whenever December hits on my calender, this is the reason I get all excited.

Set in 1800s London, England, a time where poverty was just as real as it is today (or worse), and the rich were just as happy keeping their money to themselves instead of helping others (sound familiar?). Yet, despite the poor not having much in the form of material possessions, they do have something far more valuable; themselves.

The Cratchit family are this, and its what makes them so likeable. We see ourselves in them. A simple family with simple wants, and needs who are able to realise them through the love they have for each other. The father of the bunch, Bob Cratchit, takes all the abuse from his wealthy boss, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is rewarded for his patience with hugs, and kisses from his clan. Its a true feel good moment when we finally get to see him mingle with the wife and kids, and being happy.

The Cratchits do well in reminding us all that family is forever, and is absolutely priceless.

Its everything that Christmas should be about. Forget the money, forget the gifts, remember what you have and who you have it with. Whenever I feel my head is bursting due to the stress of this mad month, I try to remember this time frame in history, as well as the story, and I feel a little bit better. Quality over quantity was never so true.

That's one reason, and here's another: ghosts. Most Christmas stories are all about feeling good, and forgetting about the materialism of the holidays, which is what A Christmas Carol is all about too, but this is the only story that I know that features spectral spooks.

Heck, the story starts off with death: “Marley was dead: to begin with”. How cool is that? For a young boy, who loves all kinds of things grisly, and gruesome, A Christmas Carol's ghosts caught my attention from the get go. Each one delivering a well honoured message, in their own fearsome way. Scrooge is meant to learn the true spirit of Christmas, and those ghosts do it by scaring him straight. Its super fun to read.

The story tip toes over the fine line of being scary, and family entertainment and its only fitting that its main attractions act the same: Jacob Marley, Scrooge's old (dead) business partner, and The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come (or Future, whichever way you look at it) are, no doubt, everyone's favourite spirits in this story, mine included. Of all the adaptation's I've watched (and I've seen a bunch, as well as owning a bunch too) the effort in making these two particular ghosts scarier than the other two shouldn't be lost on anyone: The glowing face as a door knocker, the echo of footsteps and chains rattling through the halls, and the sense of something truly terrifying is about to happen as the harrowing presence of Marley bestows himself before us, and Scrooge. Its a hell of an entrance, one that makes every filmmaker attempt to out do the other. And then there's the dark shadow that resembles the legendary Grim Reaper more than a Christmas character. Naturally, that's all it appears to be and nothing more. Truth be told, Christmas Future is the most plain looking of the three spirits to arrive, but its also the most striking. A tall, mute (sometimes) skeletal figure is enough to get anyone's attention, and it does just that, delivering the most important message of all; greed brings death and loneliness.

Christmas Past, and Present serve their purpose, and Mr. Dickens doesn't show any favouritism like I, and other filmmakers seem to do. They are definitely least frightening than Marley and Future, but both bring a cautionary message that rocks Scrooge to his very core, planting the seeds to his eventual redemption.

Now, I've hinted at Scrooge, or made passing comments on his character within the realms of this life changing story in this retrospective piece of mine, that I feel I must talk about him as he is one of the reasons this story is so submerged in pop culture (“Don't be a Scrooge” anyone?).

What's so bizarre is the main character is an old, crooked miser who is out for himself. We, the audience, are usually given some indication of a characters good qualities, allowing us to feel an attachment from early on. Not so with Scrooge. At the beginning, he's a mean spirited sod, and it makes you wonder “are we stuck with this guy?” But, as we all know, looks are deceiving and Scrooge does come through for humanity in the end.

Its always good to hear someone absolving themselves from any pratfalls they've fallen into, and learning about Scrooge's history as a young child, and the trauma's that led to his miserable life style, you do begin to feel a sense of empathy for him. Its tragic that someone born with hope is given a hard lesson in reality, but, hey, that's life right? The difference is how we respond to such situations, and its unfortunate Scrooge went that way, like many seem to do. Good thing he becomes a better man, and more, in the end.

Its a fantastic piece of character development that makes A Christmas Carol one of the most treasured stories of all time.

Dickens delivers in every department; love, charity, fear, drama, dread, and hope. There's a reason its a story still told today, with it being the most adaptable ever. A classic both young, and old can appreciate, and one I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to visiting every year.

“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!”