Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been reimagined countless times since its publication in 1843, here are 10 lesser-known facts about the instant classic.
It all began with just six words, “Marley was dead, to begin with” and from there readers were hooked as they were transported to a world with characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and, of course, the three ghosts of Christmas.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been reimagined in countless ways since it was published nearly two centuries ago; an instant classic that Dickens spent mere weeks on. Tis the season to look at some of the lesser-known facts about this Christmas staple.
Adaptions of Past, Present, and Future
A Christmas Carol has been reimagined in countless ways including but not limited to a video game, various Disney versions, a 1908 short, on stage, a number of sitcom episodes, and the 2015 made-for-TV movie, A Christmas Carol and Zombies. With it being such a classic, we don’t foresee things changing and in fact, expect to continue to see adaptions in the future.
The Hottest Gift of 1843
A Christmas Carol was first published on December 19, 1843, with the first edition selling out by Christmas Eve. By 1844 the short story had gone through 13 printings and has stood the test of time while continuing to be a hit 181 years later.
“Bah Humbug” – Mark Twain, Probably
Despite its wild success, not everybody was a fan of A Christmas Carol. While Charles Dickens toured America reading his work, the first author to do so, a 32-year-old Mark Twain reviewed it by saying, “there is no heart. No feeling – it is nothing but glittering frostwork.”
Scrooge: As Grumpy As We Thought?
Even if you’ve never read A Christmas Carol, if you were asked to quote it, there’s a good chance the ever popular phrase “Bah Humbug” would come to mind because it is Scrooge’s big catchphrase, after all. But in the book, Scrooge only mutters the phrase two times.
More Where That Came From
The full title of Dickens’ novella is A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. The specific title A Christmas Carol was just one of the several Christmas-themed stories.
Book Binding Matters
While A Christmas Carol was an instant best-seller, Dickens didn’t make very much money on his early editions. But not without reason. Dickens was very particular about the endpapers and how the book was bound, so ultimately the price of these materials took a chunk out of what would have been profit.
Fred No More
Would A Christmas Carol tug at our hearts the same way if Tiny Tim wasn’t Tiny Tim? Dickens’s manuscript taught us that Tiny Tim’s name was originally Fred at least for the first couple of pages. “Fred” was then crossed out and replaced with Tim or Tiny Tim.
God Bless Us Everyone
Dickens loved to write a social commentary and A Christmas Carol is no different. As a child, Dickens was forced to drop out of school as a young boy and begin work at a factory. He spent his adult life devoted to helping the underserved due to his own experiences. Ultimately he hoped A Christmas Carol would encourage those who were prosperous to open their hearts to those who were not.
No Place Like London
A Christmas Carol was written in just 6 weeks as Dickens was under financial pressure. In fact, he wrote the story while walking the streets of London at night.
Merry Christmas To Us All
While the phrase “Merry Christmas” originated in a 16th-century letter from Bishop John Fischer to Thomas Cromwell, England’s Chief Minister, the phrase gained popularity after the publication of A Christmas Carol.
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Victoria Lewis
Victoria is a freelance writer, dog lover, and coffee enthusiast living with her husband and dog in a small town in Kansas. Surrounded by an expansive to-be-read pile, she spends her time either deeply engrossed in a book or listening to one. As a fervent supporter of both bookstores and public libraries, Victoria enjoys sharing her latest reads on social media, connecting with fellow bibliophiles, and diligently updating her Goodreads profile.
