A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth (combo)
This three book combo contains 3 of Charles Dickens 5 classic Christmas stories.
A Christmas Carol
The first of Charles Dickens Christmas classics and certainly not the least. Ebenezer Scrooge, is a very wealthy man who has worked hard all his days and has been able to obtain a large sum of money in his life. However, even his vast amounts of wealth are of little use to him.
On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the spirit of Jacob Marley who was his business partner in life. Jacob Marley warns Scrooge, that he has been forging links of bondage due to his lack of concern and caring for his fellow mankind. He informs Scrooge, that he will be visited by 3 spirits that night who will teach him the true meaning of Christmas and life.
The first spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Ebenezer to his youth. Unlike the aged Scrooge, the young one is very optimistic, and is even romantic. But he is reminded, how he put his worldly success over romance, among other things, and passed up what might have been a very good life, though not quite as rich. He is reminded of his sister, who died at a young age, but whom loved Scrooge and always treated him well. He is reminded that his sisters son, looks much like him, something which he hadn't noticed.
The second ghost, is the Ghost of Christmas Present. He is taken to the market where the only thing Scrooge can see is the spending of money. The Ghost, is irritated, that Ebenezer can only notice that on aspect of it. He is taken to the home of his employee Bob Cratchit, who has a son name Tiny Tim, who is very sick and on crutches. The family has a very meager Christmas meal, but their attitude is very marry, for they are truly happy to be with one another. He is also taken to the home of his nephew, and is shown a great party, where some of the people make some derogatory remarks about him. He is finally taken to a place where he also sees the very poor in the world, and shows that there is a great deal of human suffering that Ebenezer has chosen to ignore.
The third ghost, is the Ghost of Christmas Future. In this visitation Ebenezer is shown the contrast of the death of a man, whom no one seems to care for, and the death of Tiny Tim, for whom his family still deeply loves, and thinks about, even though he is no longer around. Ebenezer knows the man no one cares about is himself, and is forced to see his name on a tombstone. He breaks down and pleads with the Ghost that this might not happen, and promises to change his life from that day forward.
Ebenezer wakes up still alive, and thankful to the Ghosts for opening his eyes. He changes his ways, and puts the needs of other before his own, and keeps the spirit of Christmas for the rest of his life, and becomes a second father to Tiny Time who lives.
No Christmas is complete without a reading of this classic.
This three book combo contains 3 of Charles Dickens 5 classic Christmas stories
The Chimes
On the Eve of the New Year. Trotty, a ticket porter, has a very dark look upon the working class as he reads the news, and thinks them wicked by their very nature. His daughter informs him of their decision to get married with Richard. Several people arrive in their lives who together make Meg and her fiance, and Trotty fell that they are of little worth.
Trotty delivers a message to Sir Joseph Bowley, who gives charity to the poor. Joseph does not help Trotties ideas, as he scolds him. Trotty subsequently helps a poor contryman and his niece, by caring for them and warning them of an unjust plot to impression him.
Trotty hears bells and chimes. He goes to the church, and into the bell chamber. He finds the Spirits of the Bells. They reprieve Trotty for loosing his faith in Man, and inform him of something he was unaware, that he is dead. He is to follow his daughter Meg, and watch her life to learn a lesson. Trotty learns his lesson, that people are not naturally wicked, but are meant to reach for higher things, and only fail when repressed.
The Cricket on the Hearth
The third of Charles Dickens Christmas classics, is the story of John Peerybingle, Dot his wife, their baby, and Tilly Slowboy who is their nanny. There is a cricket on the hearth that chirps, and looks over the family. The cricket even tells Dot, not to make a choice that she would later regret.
The story also contains a lodger, who through the spirit and season of Christmas is able to have a change of hart, just like Ebenezer Scrooge.
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