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 Dickenssa国际传媒檚 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.
* * *
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. sa国际传媒淓ach year I dread this season a little more,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淲hy, Ebenezer?sa国际传媒� Charles Dickens asked. sa国际传媒淎t the end of our story, you promised to observe this season.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚 will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.sa国际传媒� Scrooge recited the lines found near the end of the novella. sa国际传媒淭he story is told every year. People read the book, or see movies or stage plays.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淧lease, Ebenezer,sa国际传媒� Charles Dickens replied. sa国际传媒淪ome of the movies and stage adaptations have been quite accurate.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淵es, thatsa国际传媒檚 true. But theresa国际传媒檚 also the animated Disney version and the Flintstones version. The Muppets took a turn at it. And letsa国际传媒檚 not forget those Canadian Tire commercials in the 1980s and 1990s. Give like Santa and save like Scrooge.sa国际传媒�
Dickens sipped his tea. sa国际传媒淚 had never intended for you to become an advertising gimmick. I am sorry,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淪till, the story and its message are known.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淎re they really?sa国际传媒� Scrooge asked. sa国际传媒淗ave you read the news? Controversy over the lyrics of Baby, Itsa国际传媒檚 Cold Outside made the headlines. Theresa国际传媒檚 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.sa国际传媒�
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sa国际传媒淚 suppose such things are to be expected when Christmas is such a big celebration,sa国际传媒� Dickens said with a sigh.
sa国际传媒淎nd here,sa国际传媒� Scrooge flipped through the pages of a newspaper. sa国际传媒淧ictures of gift drives and donations to food banks.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淢uch better than in our day,sa国际传媒� Dickens says to Scrooge.
sa国际传媒淚f these people understood and believed your message, then they would show generosity all through the year, not just in December.sa国际传媒�
Scrooge turned the page and pointed to another story. sa国际传媒淭he richest in this province have a net worth nearly 6,000 times that of the median middle-income homes,sa国际传媒� he said. Then, pointing to another story, added, sa国际传媒淭here are almost 8,000 homeless people in British Columbia. How can a society with such inequalities claim to honour Christmas?sa国际传媒�
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sa国际传媒淵es I know,sa国际传媒� Dickens said. sa国际传媒淪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.sa国际传媒�
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.
sa国际传媒淪hall we meet here again next year, my friend?sa国际传媒� Dickens asked.
Scrooge nodded. sa国际传媒淥f course, Charles. Merry Christmas.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淢erry Christmas to you too,sa国际传媒� Dickens said.
* * *
As the two men disappear into the darkness, I am left wondering how I, like Scrooge, can sa国际传媒渉onour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.sa国际传媒�
John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.
