A Christmas Carol Part 1: Bedtime Story

Hello loves.

Join me tonight for my retelling of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold and miserly old man, despises Christmas and all forms of joy. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that his selfish life will lead to misery even beyond death. Marley tells Scrooge that three spirits will soon visit him and to listen to what they have to show him.

A beautiful story about what is truly important in life and how happiness can be found in the connections we have with loved ones and others.

This is part one of a two-part story.

Sleep well, dear ones.

Transcript

Hello dear ones and welcome to today's reading A Christmas Carol just taking a few moments to make yourself comfortable if you're in bed maybe taking some stretches snuggling down into your duvet becoming aware of your breath maybe taking longer inhales and exhales and when you are ready dear ones we will begin chapter one marley's warning on a snowy christmas eve in london ebeneezer scrooge sat hunched over his desk in his dim counting house the feeble glow of a single candle barely illuminating the room outside carriages rattled over the cobblestones people hurried through the cold clutching wrapped parcels and the scent of roasted chestnuts mingled with the bitter winter air but none of that warmth reached scrooge he was a sharp narrow man all edges and angles with eyes like cold coins and a mouth set in a permanent line disapproving of all things merry joy he believed was a frivolity for the weak christmas especially he considered nonsense a time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer his clerk bob cratchit worked quietly at a small desk near the door wrapped in his thin coat as he tried to keep warm the office's small fire had burned down to embers hours ago and scrooge guarded each lump of coal as though it were gold please sir bob ventured gently his breath fogging the air might i add just a smidgen of coal the fire is nearly out and a smidgen scrooge snapped you'll have no such thing coal costs money mr cratchit and i'll have it not wasted on keeping you comfortable bob smiled faintly the way one does when used to disappointment and returned to his work moments later the door swung open letting in a swift cold wind and a burst of cheer scrooge's nephew fred bounded in his face bright despite the weather a merry christmas uncle and blessings of the season to you ah humbug scrooge barked fred only chuckled you don't mean that christmas is a kind generous forgiving time one that reminds us we are all fellow travelers in this life foolishness scrooge counted every idiot who goes about with merry christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding fred shook his head with affectionate pity i'm sorry you feel that way uncle but i'll keep my christmas spirit no matter how coldly you greet it will you dine with us tomorrow certainly not very well fred said still smiling but my offer stands year after year and with a final cheerful wave to bob he disappeared back into the snowy streets evening settled the office closed scrooge trudged home through silent alleyways barely lit by gas lamps his townhouse loomed at the end of a narrow lane dark imposing and as unwelcoming as its owner at the door scrooge paused the brass knocker usually shades like a lion's head seemed to suddenly shift under the flickering lamplight its features sagged and reshaped until the unmistakable face of jacob marley scrooge's long dead business partner stared back at him with blank ghostly eyes scrooge blinked and shook his head and the lion returned fiddlesticks he muttered and let himself in inside the house felt unusually still he lit a candle and climbed the stairs the sound of his own footsteps echoing strangely after a simple meal of gruel he settled into bed but he had barely pulled the blanket up when a clang like chains being dragged across stone rattled through the house the sound grew closer and then to scrooge's horror jacob marley stepped through the locked door pale and transparent bound head to toe in heavy chains made of ledgers padlocks and cash boxes Ebenezer scrooge marley said his voice hollow and echoing i have come to warn you scrooge trembled do not torment me i wear the chain i forged in life marley groaned that your chain ebenezer was as long as mine seven years ago you have added to it since a life without kindness leads to misery beyond the grave but but surely there is hope for me scrooge said there is marley replied tonight you will be visited by three spirits listen to them scrooge without their help you cannot escape my fate the ghost began to fade rattling into the darkness expect the first when the bell tolls one and with that marley vanished leaving scrooge alone in the cold silence shivering not from the winter but from fear of what was to come Chapter 2.

The Spirit of Christmas Past.

The great bell in scrooge's room began to tremble one slow chime scrooge opened his eyes his bedroom ordinarily dark and gloomy glowed with a warm hurly light as though morning had risen inside the room itself the curtains rustled though no wind blew and in the center of the glow stood a strange figure it was both young and old a childlike face with wise ancient eyes hair that shimmered like starlight and robes that fluttered like candle flame the spirit's presence brought with it a gentle warmth like the first touch of spring are you the spirit whose coming was foretold to me scrooge asked cautiously i am the ghost of christmas past the figure replied its voice soft but echoing like several tones layered into one come we have much to see before scrooge could object the ghost touched his sleeve and the room dissolved into a swirl of light the next moment scrooge found himself standing in a wide snow-covered field under a pale winter sky in the distance children slid down icy slopes laughing and calling to one another scrooge's breath caught why i know this place i grew up not far from here the ghost nodded look from behind the small cots of trees a younger scrooge emerged a lonely boy with an earnest face walking slowly while the others played his clothes were neat but worn his expression carried a weight far too heavy for someone so small that boy scrooge whispered it's me he watched as the child paused near the edge of the field his eyes lingering on the lively shouts of the other children he hesitated almost stepping forward to join them but instead turned and trudged toward a large cold looking school building why does he not stay with them the spirit asked gently scrooge swallowed i was not wanted at home they kept me at school during the holidays always the scene shifted now they were inside the old school room little scrooge sat alone beside a thin fire reading a battered book by candlelight though alone he smiled faintly at the stories imaginary friends filling the space where real company should have been i had my books scrooge murmured they were comfort enough were they asked the ghost before scrooge could answer the door burst open and a young girl bounded in bright eyed wrapped in a worn cloak far too thin for winter ebenezer she cried joyfully little scrooge stood astonished fan scrooge's lips trembled as he watched my sister dear sweet fan she loved me dearly the memory unfolded fan explaining breathlessly that their father had softened that ebenezer was allowed home for christmas at last she clutched his hands and giggled pulling him toward the door as though joy itself tugged him along the adult scrooge blinked rapidly she had a fragile heart he whispered she was always kind always the spirit's expression softened she grew into a woman who passed that kindness to her child your nephew fred scrooge flinched as though struck the scene faded into the curl of candle smoke shifting again now they stood in the bustling warehouse of fezziwig a man under whom scrooge had apprenticed as a young man warm lanterns hung from the rafters fiddles played lively tunes workers danced with bright-faced girls tables overflowed with mince pies roasted meats and steaming punch laughter filled every corner young scrooge energetic and cheerful dashed about with his co-worker dick wilkins preparing for fezziwig's famous christmas party old scrooge stared in wonder i had forgotten how light-hearted i once was fezziwig clapped his hands beaming clear away lads it's time for merriment the music swelled people danced spun and laughed young scrooge joined the revelry with genuine delight such small things the spirit said watching scrooge's face a bit of music a warm fire a kind word but they made such happiness yes scrooge whispered fezziwig had the power to make others happy or unhappy and he always chose happiness the ghost drifted closer why did you not follow his example before scrooge could respond the scene dimmed replaced by a quiet room lit by a single lamp a young woman sat beside a small chest her expression tender but resigned she was belle scrooge's former love a younger scrooge stood before her his face distant another idol has displaced me belle said softly a golden one nonsense young scrooge replied i am pursuing security a wise course belle shook her head sadly but you fear the world too much i have seen your heart grow narrower colder you measure everything by gain i release you from our engagement ebenezer may you find happiness in the life you have chosen and with that she walked away old scrooge's throat tightened painfully show me no more but the spirit showed him one final vision belle years later sitting by a cozy fire surrounded by her cheerful children her husband entered laughing as he recounted seeing scrooge at his counting house alone and stern belle listened with gentle pity i hope he finds comfort she murmured enough scrooge pleaded tears quietly slipping down his face please take me home