A Christmas Carol

A big part of the Christmas celebration for many of us consists of the ‘holiday classics’. I love the way the best of them each have a key point to make and make it so well. Personally, that’s probably why I never get tired of them. ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ shows us that our lives really do make a difference. ‘A Christmas Carol’ shows us that real change really is possible. And ‘Frosty The Snowman’ … well, maybe some are more significant than others!

I think Dickens’ Christmas Carol has got to be my all time favourite and I know from talking to people that a large number of you share my convictions about it. And of course, Walt Disney has released their new animated version in time for the holidays this year. I haven’t seen it yet but maybe you have? Is it good?

So, if you’ve got a few minutes sometime over the course of the next few days you might want to do yourself a big favour and check out the link that I’m going to post below. It is a Christianity Today article by Lisa Toland. Lisa teaches history at the John Wesley Honors College of Indiana Wesleyan University, and her article is all about ‘Dickens’ London’. It sheds incredible back ground lighting on Dickens’ work. It shows how ‘A Christmas Carol’ was not only charming (Victorian) but brutally realistic.

Published in 1843, the engaging story of Ebenezer Scrooge is set in the context of incredible disparity, child labor, workhouses, the poor law, debtors prisons and many other social factors that when better understood serve to make the story that much more poignant.

By the way, did you know that the first Christmas card, designed in 1843, called for those materially blessed to involve themselves in "clothing the naked" and "feeding the hungry."

Well, if you are a fan, you will definitely want to take the time to read this. And let me know what you think.

Here is the link. And Merry Christmas to you all.