Ebenezer Scrooge thinks Christmas is a waste of time and money. Cruel to both his employees and his relatives, he is perfectly happy to spend the holiday alone once again. But his old friend Jacob Marley has other plans for Scrooge this year. Much like Scrooge, Marley was greedy and selfish in his lifetime, and he has come back as a ghost to warn Scrooge that unless he changes his ways, he will face terrible consequences in the afterlife.

Soon three more ghosts visit Scrooge, showing him visions of Christmases past, present, and yet to come, both from his life and the lives of those he knows. Seeing himself—and his miserable life—from the outside for the first time, Scrooge vows to make things right. And he knows exactly where to start: the home of his impoverished and unappreciated employee, Bob Cratchit.

Famous for its take on forgiveness, generosity, and the power of the Christmas spirit, this is an essential holiday tale.