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