Christmas: A Time for Reflection
As we get into the final stretch of the Christmas week, like usual this forces me to think about this time of year, which is meant to be a time of joy, peace and goodwill towards man. Thinking of my favorite stories Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” one of the greatest stories ever told. Thinking immediately of Scrooge and Bob Crachit.
The Enduring Relevance of Dickens’s Characters
Each year I feel it’s important to speak about these historic fictional characters as they live on even today from when Dickens wrote his masterpiece in 1843. Writing A Christmas Carol during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past Christmas traditions, including carols and newer customs like cards and Christmas trees.
Dickens had written three Christmas stories prior to the novella and was inspired by a visit to the Field Lane Ragged School, one of several establishments for London’s street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story. There is discussion among academics as to whether this is a fully secular story or a Christian allegory.
The Historical Context of “A Christmas Carol”
Published on 19 December, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve; by the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released. Most critics reviewed the novella favourably. The story was illicitly copied in January 1844; Dickens took legal action against the publishers, who went bankrupt, further reducing Dickens’s small profits from the publication.
He subsequently wrote four other Christmas stories. In 1849 he began public readings of the story, which proved so successful he undertook 127 further performances until 1870, the year of his death.
A Christmas Carol has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages; the story has been adapted many times for film, stage, opera and other media.
I can’t help but think of today, although very different than marry old England of the 19th Century, being in the 21st century today.
Themes of Redemption and Compassion
The story brings true one important point among many is our impact in the past, present and future as scrooge visited by the three spirits allowing him to see himself throughout his life from being a young man, to falling in love, to making money to even his death, all in one night. The spirits didn’t need days to show Scrooge.
I think to myself, what would the Christmas spirits show me if they could, would they show my selfishness, my days living in depression, anxiety and despair. Would they show me images of my marriage, wife and child and even my death.
Ultimately time on this earth is short, but for many like me we tend to live in turmoil, living hand to mouth at times and struggling just trying to make it. But looking at another figure of Bob Crachit. Not sure you can tell but Bob Crachit is poor with five children and wife to support. Mind you back then it was customary for the man to support the family, but one thing about Bob despite his hardships especially with Tiny Tim, is he always seemed to have a smile, even when sacked by the Miser Scrooge.
Societal Greed and the Need for Empathy
We truly live in a time of greed and oppression of people, some of you out there may feel like there is no such thing in society and I would ask you to look deeper into those who are suffering today.
Ebenezer Scrooge a man of business who started out in a life of solitude and loneliness never truly felt loved hence the reason I think he rejected Love and stuck to the cold hard world of money and prestige. The story is so important to look at what happens when it set aside people in our life and focus on wealth instead of what is important. I get that we all need to live a life, we all need to eat, we all need to survive and most all want to prosper in life, but it’s tough.
Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, many must slowly work their way in life to create a life. Some in this life have incredible fortune in their life, lots of money, big house, nice care, supportive family and support system to make sure they succeed.
While others struggle to make it, pinching pennies with little or no support system alone in this dark cold world failing to succeed in a world that says you are not good enough unless you have this or do this, I have lived this life. Yes, I have my wife and daughter, my sister, father, and brother-in-law who support me, but deep inside me I ask for more.
Back to Scrooge, a man who was in the perfect position to live a comfortable life in his wealth and not worry about where his next meal would come from or where he would live. While others were truly suffering like today. It is interesting how Scrooge mentioned workhouses and prisons which he fully supported. Obliviously we know what prisons are, but workhouses or poor houses existed which were placed that supported those who could not survive on their own.
Imagine if you will these where the places people went to work, not that there was anything wrong with that, but these were considered dismal horrible places eventually turning into a place to care for the elderly and resembling almost a prison environment, but again maybe it could be better than being homeless. Remembering when Scrooge was approached for a donation telling those:
At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, … it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
“Are there no prisons?”
“Plenty of prisons…”
“And the Union workhouses.” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“Both very busy, sir…”
“Those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
The coldness in his voice, the heartlessness so reminiscent of today and the coldness in people today. I will say that I know that’s Not everyone, many do care for sick and unfortunate like the homeless but there is very little help compared to the size of our societies today, we need more.
It’s so oblivious when you’ve made it life why should you have to give back, thinking only what how no one helped you succeed but in reality, you were helped, GOD provided for you, giving you the mind and body, you have to today along with the gifts in your life something many forget. But again, Scrooge eventually says that through the three ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
I love that Dickens focused on this in his book because it’s something we should all see in hopes of redeeming ourselves and our souls to be better. Now you may think well I am good person and maybe you are, but you can always be better.
Scrooge was redeemed by seeing his life from his past, but the biggest impacts were the present and future being able to see his impact on Bob Crachit, his family and Tiny Tim forgetting the impact people make in those lives we touch whether we think so or not.
Ultimately Scrooge was even able to see his own death in a way and those people who truly despised and hated him, something again we should all see because many live-in illusions we are well loved, and we are not.
The ending is by far the best part of this incredible story as Scrooge corrects his ways immediately. He doesn’t say well maybe I will fix me tomorrow; no, he said I will fix myself NOW and he did. First order of business being more, giving and treating those in his life as he should have always treated them with love and respect, even paying them fairly. Being a miser and pay all too often people accept a modern-day miser and feel well I deserve this and we do not, we accept misers and shouldn’t.
Scrooge I believe once had a large heart especially when he worked for Fezziwig, he seemed so happy and cheerful even having love in his life but along the way went astray. Something that happens to all of us, going astray, darker, cold and heartless until we wake up but look what it took for Scrooge to wake up, what will it take for you and I to wake up to be kinder, softer and more loving.
Scrooge I believe once had a large heart especially when he worked for Fezziwig, he seemed so happy and cheerful even having love in his life but along the way went astray. Something that happens to all of us, going astray, darker, cold and heartless until we wake up but look what it took for Scrooge to wake up, what will it take for you and I to wake up to be kinder, softer and more loving.
The True Meaning of Christmas
So, make Christmas 2025 a time to remember what is important, LOVE, KINDNESS and Peace on Earth; each of us can do these things if we just try making the world less hateful, bitter. Ultimately, I will say this the reason for season as always is to remember Jesus was born to die on this day and his birth is the reason for the season, an ultimate sacrifice to all of us, but the ultimate love for all of us, so let’s try to love more like Christ. Regardless of if you don’t believe in CHRIST, we can all be much kinder to each other.
A Personal Commitment to Love, Kindness, and Faith
For myself and my family what is truly important in this time of year, the season of giving, a season of joy and for myself, the reason for the season JESUS!
Joe Meyers Adventures 