Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens

Original story

Ebenezer Scrooge was a rich, old man. He had a lot of money but no friends. He was very mean, he hated spending money and he hated Christmas.

It was Christmas Eve and everyone  was shopping. They bought decorations for the Christmas tree, presents and food.

Scrooge was in his office with Bob Cratchit, who worked for him for very little money. Cratchit was a very nice person. He was poor and had a big family. At six o’clock Cratchit went to Mr. Scrooge and said: ‘Excuse me, sir. Tomorrow is Christmas Day, can I stay at home with my children?’

Scrooge was angry and he said ‘I don’t pay you to stay at home! Christmas, everybody talks about Christmas! I hate Christmas!’

After work Scrooge went home. It was dark and snowing. He took his key out of his pocket to open the door, and stopped! On the door was a face. It was Marley’s face – the man who worked with him and now was dead.

Scrooge was scared. Marley’s ghost had chains on his feet and on his arms.  The ghost said: ‘Three Spirits will visit you tonight.’ and went out of the window.

At one o’clock the first Spirit came. Scrooge was very frightened and said: ‘Who are you? What do you want?’ The ghost answered: ‘I am the Spirit of Christmas Past’.

The Spirit showed Scrooge the time when he was a young boy.

At three o’clock the second Spirit came. It was the Spirit of Christmas Present. The Spirit took Scrooge to Bob Cratchit’s house. The family was very poor, they had very little food and one little boy was ill. The Spirit said: ‘The boy will die because they haven’t got enough money to pay a doctor.’ Scrooge was sad. The spirit took him to many houses  - rich and poor families – but in every house the people were happy. ‘Stop. Stop!’ cried Scrooge. ‘ I’m tired, I want to go to bed.

I promise I will think about Christmas next year. Please, take me home now. Spirit, Spirit, where are you?’  But the Spirit wasn’t there. It was dark and Scrooge was alone.

He saw a man dressed in black. ‘Are you the Spirit of Christmas to come?’ asked Scrooge. The Spirit didn’t speak. He showed Scrooge a grave. There were no flowers and no people there. ‘Who is it?’ asked Scrooge. On the grave were the words: ‘EBENEZER SCROOGE’.

In the morning Scrooge woke up in his bed. ‘I am alive, I am alive, I am so happy!’ He jumped out of bed singing and dancing. ‘What a beautiful day it is. I love Christmas. I love everybody!’’

He bought a big turkey for Mr. Cratchit’s family. From that Christmas Scrooge was a new man. He helped the poor and was kind to everyone. Bob Cratchit’s son didn’t die. Scrooge paid for the doctors. Scrooge was a happy man and everybody loved him.

                                                                                                                                                                    The End