Written by Charles Dickens and first published in December 1843, A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter old miser who eventually learns the true meaning of Christmas after being visited by the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. A festive tale full of extremes, from darkness and despair to joy and warmth, it is one of the most enduring in English literature, has been adapted for stage and screen countless times and is rightly considered an all-time classic.