The winter street scenes around British Columbia, with colourful lights and festive displays, are far removed from the wintery images of 19th-century London depicted in Charles Dickens91裸聊视频檚 novella, A Christmas Carol.
The novella was first published 175 years ago, on Dec. 19, 1843, and since that time it has never been out of print.
The story, set on a Christmas Eve night, is well-known as Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser, is visited by three ghosts during the night. In the morning, he discovers what it means to celebrate Christmas.
In the story, Christmas is downplayed, but here it is the biggest celebration of the year and from late November until early January, the signs of the season are everywhere.
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Imagine if Dickens and Scrooge could visit us here this year and observe the Christmas season here.
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From their table at the rear of the coffee shop, the two men, now retired, sipped their tea in the late afternoon.
For a time, neither man spoke. Finally the slender man broke the silence. 91裸聊视频淓ach year I dread this season a little more,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淲hy, Ebenezer?91裸聊视频� Charles Dickens asked. 91裸聊视频淎t the end of our story, you promised to observe this season.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.91裸聊视频� Scrooge recited the lines found near the end of the novella. 91裸聊视频淭he story is told every year. People read the book, or see movies or stage plays.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淧lease, Ebenezer,91裸聊视频� Charles Dickens replied. 91裸聊视频淪ome of the movies and stage adaptations have been quite accurate.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淵es, that91裸聊视频檚 true. But there91裸聊视频檚 also the animated Disney version and the Flintstones version. The Muppets took a turn at it. And let91裸聊视频檚 not forget those Canadian Tire commercials in the 1980s and 1990s. Give like Santa and save like Scrooge.91裸聊视频�
Dickens sipped his tea. 91裸聊视频淚 had never intended for you to become an advertising gimmick. I am sorry,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪till, the story and its message are known.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎re they really?91裸聊视频� Scrooge asked. 91裸聊视频淗ave you read the news? Controversy over the lyrics of Baby, It91裸聊视频檚 Cold Outside made the headlines. There91裸聊视频檚 outrage because a city councillor in Victoria, B.C. wants to remove Christmas displays. And somehow the song Santa Baby, the movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas all generated some anger.91裸聊视频�
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91裸聊视频淚 suppose such things are to be expected when Christmas is such a big celebration,91裸聊视频� Dickens said with a sigh.
91裸聊视频淎nd here,91裸聊视频� Scrooge flipped through the pages of a newspaper. 91裸聊视频淧ictures of gift drives and donations to food banks.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淢uch better than in our day,91裸聊视频� Dickens says to Scrooge.
91裸聊视频淚f these people understood and believed your message, then they would show generosity all through the year, not just in December.91裸聊视频�
Scrooge turned the page and pointed to another story. 91裸聊视频淭he richest in this province have a net worth nearly 6,000 times that of the median middle-income homes,91裸聊视频� he said. Then, pointing to another story, added, 91裸聊视频淭here are almost 8,000 homeless people in British Columbia. How can a society with such inequalities claim to honour Christmas?91裸聊视频�
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91裸聊视频淵es I know,91裸聊视频� Dickens said. 91裸聊视频淪till, I choose to find hope in the fact that there are food banks and gift drives. There is a spirit of charity. And perhaps in future, that spirit will show itself throughout the year. I shall never stop hoping.91裸聊视频�
Their tea finished, the two men slowly stood up, put on their coats and hats and left the coffee shop. The streets were dark now, illuminated by street lamps and Christmas lights.
91裸聊视频淪hall we meet here again next year, my friend?91裸聊视频� Dickens asked.
Scrooge nodded. 91裸聊视频淥f course, Charles. Merry Christmas.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淢erry Christmas to you too,91裸聊视频� Dickens said.
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As the two men disappear into the darkness, I am left wondering how I, like Scrooge, can 91裸聊视频渉onour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.91裸聊视频�
John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.
