As the holiday season approaches, one literary work stands out as a timeless classic that has captured the hearts of generations. This enduring tale of redemption, charity, and the spirit of Christmas has become a holiday tradition for many. Hoping to reintroduce this timeless classic to a new generation, Santa presents his original retelling Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

Christmas Eve

“WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” questioned the grumpy old man. 

“I was putting another piece of coal in the stove, Mr. Scrooge. It’s terribly cold.” Shivering, Bob Cratchit responded to his frugal boss. 

“Bah, humbug! Stay focused on your work and you won’t even notice the discomfort.” Scrooge resented his employee, brought on after his partner, Jacob Marley, passed away. Scrooge missed sharing an office with someone that equally appreciated gold and silver coins. 

“You’re right, Mr. Scrooge, I will…” Bob Cratchit was interrupted by the door flinging open.

“Merry Christmas, Uncle Scrooge!” Fred exclaimed, his face beaming with joy that regrettably made Ebenezer miss his sister, Fan. “I’ve come to invite you to our Christmas gathering tomorrow. It would mean so much to us if you could join this year. BAH HUMBUG to BAH HUMBUG!”

But Scrooge, wearing a scowl that seemed permanently etched on his face, responded with a dismissive remark. “Bah humbug, indeed!”, catching Cratchit’s smirk and shutting it down promptly with a glare. “Christmas is a waste of time. A frivolous distraction! Leave us to our work,” he grumbled, refusing to even look up from his counting.

Undeterred by Scrooge’s negativity, Fred tried his best to stay cheerful. “But Uncle, Christmas is a time for family and love,” he explained. “It would be wonderful to have you there. We’ll make sure the day is filled with joy and merriment.”

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Scrooge barked as Cratchit bundled up for the wind chilled walk home. 

Bob timidly replied, “It’s the end of day, Mr. Scrooge, is it not?”

“Bah Humbug, so it is,” Scrooge unwillingly conceded, adding, “Fine, but don’t be late tomorrow! These books won’t balance themselves before New Years.”

Fred interjected, “Uncle, it’s Christmas. You can’t expect Bob to work. There’s Church, Family Dinner…”

“So, you expect two days off this week?” This was beyond Scrooge’s comprehension. “I’ll see you at twelve o’clock noon, SHARP, on the dot.”

“OH! Thank you, Mr. Scrooge. Most Generous, Mr. Scrooge,” Bob hurried Fred out the door before losing those precious hours. “Merry Chris… I mean have a good night, Mr. Scrooge!”

The door slammed shut, giving Ebenezer a minor startled stir.

“BAH HUMBUG!”

Scrooge found himself alone, finally, as far as he was concerned. No more distractions. Scrooge counted coin and notated his ledger. But his eyes drew heavy. The low hypnotic crackle of the coal stove, and the dancing light of the single candle lulled Scrooge to sleep at his desk.  A sudden whistling draft blew out the candle and what remained of the smoldering coal. Still asleep, Scrooge’s breath became visible in the growing chill of night. Sounds of chains dragging, footsteps slowly nearing and haunting moans crescendoing caused Ebenezer to slowly wake, eyes still closed, half engrossed in nightmare, and growing awareness of a real presence, mumbling, “No! Begone, demon! Leave me alone!”

Jacob Marley

“Ebenezer Scrooge!” Jacob Marley’s voice boomed, stern and eerie. Scrooge, now hyper alert in the only way fear will induce, eyes bugged, cowered into the corner.  

“Your heart is as cold as ice, and if you don’t change your ways, you’ll be doomed for eternity! Tonight, you will be visited by three spirits. Heed their advice. Heed my warning. They will guide you towards redemption, unless you foolishly choose another path.”

Startled by this unexpected encounter, Scrooge stammered, “What… What do you mean, “spirits”? This is nonsense! Leave me be!”

But before he could protest any further, Jacob Marley vanished into thin air, leaving Scrooge standing alone in the office, his heart racing and his mind filled with unsettling thoughts of what the night would bring. 

“You’ve been warned!” 

The disembodied voice from the abyss startled Ebenezer to a quick exit. Scrooge grabbed his coat, hat and walking stick, locked up, and raced home as fast as he could.

Nearly tripping up the stairs of his brownstone, Scrooge slammed and locked every door behind him. Ebenezer locked every window of the manor and pulled the curtains. Before he knew it, he was under the covers and pillows, before finally sitting up,

“Oh, this is silly! I’m a grown man without superstition. It was all a silly nightmare…”

Just then, Scrooge fell out of bed, as the clock bellowed its midnight chime, somehow louder than ever. 

The Spirit of Christmas Past

“Rise, dear Scrooge, for I shall guide you on a journey through the forgotten memories of your heart.”

The Ghost of Christmas Past, a gentle and radiant fairy, fills the bed chamber with a warm and ethereal glow, the ghostly figure extends her hand towards the reluctant Scrooge.

Scrooge gazes up at the spirit with a mix of apprehension and curiosity, extends his hand and allows himself to be whisked away. 

Half flying, simultaneously falling, Scrooge sees his entire life, every memory, in rewind, faster and faster, until it’s all a blur of swirling color and sounds. 

Suddenly, everything stops, all is pitch black and silent. A dim light starts to glow in the corner of an old school room, where a boy sits, quiet, watching out the window.

Scrooge recognizes himself; his younger self. It is his tenth Christmas Eve. Young Scrooge watches the wide-eyed delight of the other children, one by one, being picked up by their families, leaving him behind, alone. 

Scrooge recalled his father’s letter from so many years ago, explaining how his sister, Fan, was not well. The family decided it would be best for all if young Ebenezer stayed at school during the break.

“I was sad then, but that toughened me up. Made me successful, the man I soon became.”

The Ghost of Christmas Past gently places a comforting hand on Scrooge’s shoulder as they fly forward to his sixteenth Christmas Eve at old man Fezziwig’s grand Christmas party. The room is alive with joy and merriment. Amidst the festivities, Scrooge sees his teenage self, dancing, in that exact moment he fell in love.

“Oh, Belle. How I adored her, the one bright light of my life.”

The spirit once again leads Scrooge forward. 

“No, wait, please… can we not linger there a while more. That was such a happy time.”

However, the scene transitions to Scrooge’s twentieth Christmas Eve, in a hospital room where Scrooge’s older sister, Fan, lays gravely ill. A somber hush fills the air. Scrooge begs God, or anyone, anything else, that might listen.

“Please, let her be alright. I can’t bear to lose her.”

The Ghost of Christmas Past’s gentle touch offers momentary solace to Scrooge. 

“Thank you, I could not bear another moment…” Scrooge drifted off, then tensing head to toe as they arrive exactly one year later, in the early days of his very own counting office.

Scrooge works furiously, sitting across the desk from his former business partner, the equally, possibly more laborious, Jacob Marley. 

Belle, exasperated, heartbroken, pleads with her betrothed.

“You’ve grown cold and distant since Fan passed away. You refuse to open your heart, even to your own nephew, Fred. He needs you now more than ever!”

Hardened by grief, Scrooge almost blurted out, “Belle, please! Don’t leave me!”

But instead exclaimed, for the first time, as he stood, slamming the desk with two fists, fire in his eyes, spitting with ire,

“BAH HUMBUG!” 

As young Ebenezer watched Belle run out of the counting house for the last time, for the second time, Scrooge, the elder, chased after her, “Belle, I was wrong.  I’m sorry. I need you now more than ever.”

Running, stumbling, reaching, Scrooge’s screams echo, as Belle’s image blurs from tears in his eyes until he suddenly realizes that he is once again alone at home, wrestling with his own curtains. As he settled, isolation weighed heavily upon his shoulders.

The clock clanged, one o’clock.

Instantly the cold empty hearth blazed with warmth and the light of a roaring fire as an awe-inspiring figure appeared before Scrooge.

The Spirit of Christmas Present

“You’re embarrassing yourself, Ebenezer. Rise up and celebrate this glorious day!”

It was the Ghost of Christmas Present, with a booming laugh and a majestic presence. He had a gnarled beard, flowing hair, and wore lush robes that seemed to shimmer with holiday cheer. Overwhelmed, Scrooge hid his face in his palms. 

When he finally peeked through, he was on the street, in the snow, outside an old shack with merry music being sung inside. Scrooge, overcome with curiosity, pressed his face against the windowpane, peering into the warmth and coziness of the small house. 

Bob Cratchit sat at a wooden table, surrounded by his loving family, their faces glowing with anticipation of the upcoming Christmas festivities. Bob shared a prayer of thanks for the gifts and the food, a pot of stew and stale bread. “…and of course, thank you, Mr. Scrooge for making this all possible.”

From outside, Scrooge smiles. “Well, see, there, our hard work is appreciated…”

“Well, that’s a step too far, thanking that miserly boss of yours!”

Mrs. Cratchit, with a stern expression, shot a disapproving glance toward Scrooge’s lurking figure outside. 

“Can she see me?” Ebenezer whispered, taken aback. 

The spirit chuckled at Scrooge, as Bob gently placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder, urging her to see beyond Scrooge’s flaws and embrace the spirit of forgiveness.

“We must treat others with love and respect, as we wish to be treated, my dear, not as we are treated,” Bob said softly, smiling, his voice filled with compassion. “THAT is the true meaning of Christmas.”

The room hushed as everyone turned their attention to Tiny Tim hobbling on one crutch to sit beside his father, gazing up at Scrooge with a mixture of innocence and understanding. With a voice as frail as a whisper, Tiny Tim uttered, 

“God bless every one of us!” 

Smiles from all. 

“Even Mr. Scrooge.” 

After a mixed response of smiles and eye rolls, the room burst into soft chuckles, although Mrs. Cratchit still half glared disapproval in Scrooge’s direction.

As the scene faded away, Scrooge felt a mixture of emotions overwhelming him. He had witnessed the profound love and resilience of the Cratchit family, and despite their struggles, they remained steadfast in their commitment to treating others with kindness.

Scrooge pondered for a moment on how life would have been different had he married Belle.

Suddenly, the scenery shifted, and Scrooge was now outside his nephew’s house. The room is decked out in vibrant decorations, and merry laughter fills the air as the guests mingle and enjoy delicious treats.

Fred can’t help but notice whispers and chuckles about his uncle, Ebenezer Scrooge. Even Fred’s witty and light-hearted wife joins in, poking fun at the infamous penny-pincher.

“Now wait just a minute,” startling all with his failed attempt impersonating Scrooge, Fred then defended his uncle. ”Ebenezer is quite unique, a little strange, such a bore perhaps…”

“I don’t like where this is heading,” mumbled Scrooge.

“But, in his own way, Uncle Scrooge was there for me ever since my mother, his dear sister, died, when I was just a baby. We can afford this house and this glorious feast thanks to Uncle Scrooge. My only regret? He won’t let himself enjoy his own success, even for a moment, and share in our merriment.”

Scrooge’s demeanor was once again cold and distant. Despite their differences, one thing remained steadfast: Scrooge ensured that the bills were paid, and no one in the family ever went hungry. It was a time when others might have turned their backs, but Scrooge’s practicality and financial assistance helped them through a challenging period.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Whispered the spirit to the backsliding Scrooge, “You want to waste the rest of what’s left of your miserable life.”

“I’m actually rather jealous of Uncle Ebenezer.” Fred continued. “While completely miserable and dreadful to all, he loved my mother and knew her. I never had that chance. I know he sees her in my face. I just want him to look up from coin and ledge so I can see her in his.”

Snapped back to the moment, remembering Fan, Scrooge’s heart melts.

“YES, I loved your mother. It was so painful back then. I retreated within myself. I threw up all defenses. I lost everything that truly mattered. I’M SORRY FREDERIC! I want to make up for lost time.”

As Scrooge called out to Fred for forgiveness, the scene dissolves to a dark snowy back alley, and Ebenezer is once again all alone. The spirit’s warmth was gone as well. Scrooge began to painfully shiver. Disillusioned, astonished and trembling, backed into something. Someone?

The Spirit of Christmas Future

This creature spoke no words…

Ebenezer turned to find the towering, terrifying figure of the Ghost of Christmas Future, silently pointing through the thick fog engulfing the cobblestone streets. His bony finger directs Scrooge’s attention towards huddled individuals who are rummaging through boxes of old clothes and linens, next to piles of broken furniture. Their voices carried disdain and bitterness across the air as they spoke ill of a recently deceased rich boar,

Scrooge stepped closer, straining his ears to catch their words.

“He was a stingy old miser,” one grumbles. 

“Never gave a pence to anyone in need,” another adds. 

“He deserved far worse than he got,” The voices join in a symphony of derision, recounting the callous deeds and greedy actions of the man who once walked among them.

“Whom do they speak of so disrespectfully? Have they no shame?”

Scrooge’s old bitter bite peered through.

Before he finished his thought, Scrooge was back standing outside the humble home of Bob Cratchit. Inside, a somber atmosphere permeated the room. Bob sits in a worn armchair, his eyes filled with shocked tears, surrounded by his weeping wife and children.

“Christmas won’t be the same without…,” Bob coughed, choked with grief. Everyone nodded in understanding.

Scrooge followed Bob’s eyes over to the corner, where a single crutch leaned. “No, not the boy?” Scrooge choked as he whispered. “Not Tiny Tim?”

Suddenly, the scene shifts again, and Scrooge finds himself in a desolate cemetery. The spirit points to the top of a lonely hill where a single mausoleum stood. 

As Scrooge inches closer, a wave of dread washes over him as he sees the name etched in stone.

EBENEZER SCROOGE

This was HIS final resting place, a tragic symbol of a life lived without love and compassion, reeking of wealth, but devoid of joy.

As Scrooge staggers backward, his body trembling in fear, he is stopped by something grasping his ankles. He was being pulled towards the tomb. Skeletal, demonic hands were bursting from the solemn ground. As hard as Scrooge tries to escape the grasp of his fate, the ground beneath him crumbles, revealing a dark chasm.

As he fell into the bottomless pit, Scrooge cried out in desperation, “PLEASE! I want to change, to become a better person! I need to fix this. Give me a chance to fix everything… HELP! PLEASE!”

Scrooge awoke from his fitful nightmare, tossing and turning, his heart pounding in his chest. With wide open eyes, he took in his surroundings, relieved to find himself safe and sound in his own bed. 

Christmas Day

“I’m not too late,” Scrooge muttered to himself.

He threw open the tapestries, revealing the bright sun of Christmas Morning. He saw the town coming alive with holiday cheer. 

“I’M NOT TOOOO LAAAATE!!!”

Filled with a newfound hope, Scrooge hastily made his way to Bob Cratchit’s house. He paused for a moment, collecting himself, fixing his cap, and straightening his nightgown – so excited he forgot to properly dress.

“At least I remembered to put on my boots” Scrooge chuckled, “The snow crunches gloriously beneath them.” 

He burst into a twirl before fighting back a wave of laughter that threatened to escape. Scrooge comprised himself.

He knocked on the door, his face contorting, trying to form the familiar scowl of the old miser Scrooge, as if he hadn’t changed a bit.

Bob, on his way to work, swung open the door and froze in shock at the sight before him. There stood his boss, Mr. Scrooge, in a nightgown and top hat, clutching his cane. “Oh no, am I late?” Bob stammered; his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Bah Humbug?”

Ebenezer shrugged and couldn’t contain the ruse any longer. “HA!”

“No, Bob, it is I who am late,” Scrooge said with a smile, unable to contain his excitement any longer. “Late to realize how lovely your family is. Where’s your lovely wife?”

Without waiting for a response, Scrooge burst through the door, embracing Bob’s wife, who screamed in terror at first. She had never actually met her husband’s boss. 

“THIS is Mr. Scrooge, my boss, I think?”

“Ebenezer, please, madam, call me Ebenezer” Scrooge’s new found smile comforted, leading others to follow in the joyous moment.

”Bob, you have been amazing! Since losing Marley I could not have continued the business without you. You are to take the rest of the week off. The rest of the year, isn’t it? HA HA! But starting next year you had better be on time. I can’t afford my new partner to be late on his first day of his new commitments!”

“Partner?” Both Cratchits question in unison.

Mrs. Cratchit swooned and nearly passed out completely. Bob embraced her, pulled all the kids in and simply stared, mouth agape. 

“Close your mouth Cratchit! You can thank me properly later,” Scrooge suddenly saw the young lad.

“And as for you…”

Ebenezer swooped down to pick up the youngest Cratchit.

“Tiny Tim, let’s see about getting you the help you need. But first, everyone, gather your jackets and mittens! We’re going on an adventure!”

Scrooge led a parade of Cratchits through town, carrying Tiny Tim on his shoulder.

Upon hearing the feisty booming knocks, Fred opened the door, his eyes widening in astonishment at the chorus of “Merry Christmas!” 

Scrooge led the procession inside, the air buzzing with excitement, now with dozens of villagers’ arms filled, carrying dozens of sweet and savory dishes, a giant roasted goose, breads, cakes, cookies, flowers, musical instruments and more. Fred’s guests watched in awe as the room soon erupted into a lively dance, with Scrooge at the center, twirling and spinning with infectious joy. It was a celebration like no other.

Drawing everyone’s attention to the feast, Scrooge scooped up Tiny Tim into his arms, his eyes brimming with love and gratitude.

Together they joyously declared to the world,

“God bless us, every one!”