A Christmas Carol

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by Charles Dickens

Yes, I vowed to finish reading this before Christmas day, and I did. In fact, as I write this, I'm already starting on done with High Society by Paolo Chikiamco and Hannah Buena, albeit not to end the year (I hope), because I intend to read yet another book before 2012 rolls around.

This is my first Dickens, ever. (What the Dickens!) I have no other justification for it other than the fact that  I never felt the urge nor was I struck by sudden inspiration to read one of his works. But, this year, in the spirit of Christmas, (and probably because of the fact that I'm the only one who hasn't read this yet?) I decided to go ahead and read this classic.

A Christmas Carol is about Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who hates Christmas and is in the habit of calling "humbug" everything and anything that crosses his path. It's Christmas eve, though, and he is about to learn significant lessons when he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet To Come - in a fantastical and heartwarming way.

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Some two years ago (or is it three?), my husband and I saw the movie adaptation of this timeless story. It starred Jim Carrey as the main character, Scrooge, and, if memory serves me right, was in 3D format. Jim Carrey is one of my favorite actors, so I enjoyed the movie a lot. But, more than that, it was also the first time I learned about the story behind A Christmas Carol.

So, I was reading the novel, I found myself getting restless: I keep seeing, in my mind's eye, Jim Carrey playing Scrooge, and knowing how the story was depicted in the film kept me from truly enjoying the book. I prefer conjuring up my own imagery when it comes to scenes in books, see, and having seen the movie prior to reading the novel spoiled the fun just a bit.

Nonetheless, I managed to finish reading it and attempted my very best to enjoy this classic work, and enjoy it I did. I appreciated the worthwhile life lessons, and I know everyone can still learn a thing or two from this book. I can no longer erase the mental image of Jim Carrey who has, inevitably, become Scrooge himself, for me, but that's OK. The important thing is that I appreciated this lovely book about Christmas, love, family, and goodwill - movie or no.

Oh, and did you know? The adjective scrooge, used to describe a person who is stingy, miserly, or a cheapskate, originated from the character himself, Scrooge? I didn't. :D

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars