51. Winter Solstice and A Christmas Carol
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Winter Solstice
I love this day, 21 December, the Winter Solstice, because it signifies the return of the sun. I wrote about this in my very first post last January, how today is the last day of increasing darkness and the first day of increasing light.
Ah, I am being northern hemisphere-centred again, and must apologise to my lovely readers, east and west, whose climate remains warm throughout the year and where the daylight hours almost number those of the dark.
In your countries, the shops, , cafés and restaurants are busy and people sit on their balconies or doorsteps, chatting into the twilight and the dark. Darkness is a time to welcome friends and neighbours, so different to its association in the UK with cold, rain, wind, isolating us, neighbour from neighbour, as we hide away in our homes.
However, here in the cold north, we do our very best to defy the darkness at this time of year by lighting everywhere up artificially, and welcoming family, friends and neighbours into our homes, where we turn the inside into a warm ‘outside’ with Christmas trees and other greenery, if not pillaged from nature, then purchased from a store.
As we all need a little laughter at this time of year, I’ll share the ‘confession’ I made last spring regarding my fascination with how, living in the north, our daylight hours shift so radically across the year.
“Nerd confession alert! One year, during Covid when we all did nerdy stuff, I recorded the daylight hours on a spreadsheet for a whole year to see how the light changed day by day. Very satisfying.” (From 23 March, Julie Lamin -Write With Me)
The Winter Solstice means that from here onwards, each day promises more light, if not more warmth. So, in addition to celebrating Christmas, I add the solstice to my celebrations - hopefully watching a sunset and sunrise and lighting a candle signifying hope and renewal.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
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If you are fortunate enough to be under twenty-five, the chances are you are an expert on Charles Dickens’ novella, A Christmas Carol as you will have studied it in detail for English/English Literature GCSE. If you are a little older, you may not have actually read it, but you know the story and its message, and have seen film versions. Dickens’ novella has become such a part of our cultural awareness and language, Scrooge is now our nemesis to dear old Santa.
To Charles Dickens’ Victorian (and modern) readers, Scrooge contradicts everything that Christmas represents, especially for Christians: God gave generously in the gift of Jesus, who brings the message that above all, we must love each other. Pure and simple: we must love one another and live generous lives.
Scrooge is the epitome of meanness in every aspect of life. Marley’s ghost warns him that he must change his ways by learning from others’ examples how generosity gives lasting happiness, or spend the afterlife dragging chains around like Marley.
A Christmas Carol reminds us in a fun and sometimes scary way, that even the most determinedly mean people like Scrooge can be redeemed through kindness, love and generosity, and that the giver receives the pleasure of giving.
A Christmas Wish
May Marley’s ghost never have cause to haunt you, and that the only humbugs are stripey sweets! May you love and be loved, not only at Christmas, but all life long.
And “as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, every one!”
A Christmas Carol Quiz
Answers follow the quiz.
1. Scrooge has only one relative. Who is he?
2. What is the name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner?
3. Scrooge’s sister comes to rescue him from what?
4. What is the name of the son Bob Cratchit carries on his shoulder?
5. What does Mrs Cratchit have on her dress to brighten it up?
6. Who comes home to the Cratchit house specially for Christmas Day?
7. What bird does the Cratchit family have for Christmas dinner?
8. What bird does Scrooge buy for the Cratchits after the ghosts have visited?
9. What is Scrooge’s famous phrase at the start of the novel to show he hates Christmas?
10. What are Tiny Tim’s words that end the novel?
ANSWERS TO A Christmas Carol Quiz
1. Scrooge has only one relative. Who is he? Nephew
2. What is the name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner? Marley
3. Scrooge’s sister comes to rescue him from what? School
4. What is the name of the son Bob Cratchit carries on his shoulder? Tiny Tim
5. What does Mrs Cratchit have on her dress to brighten it up? Ribbons
6. Who comes home to the Cratchit house specially for Christmas Day? Daughter.
7. What bird does the Cratchit family have for Christmas dinner? Goose.
8. What bird does Scrooge buy for the Cratchits after the ghosts have visited? Turkey
9. What is Scrooge’s famous phrase at the start of the novel to show he hates Christmas? Bah. Humbug.
10. What are Tiny Tim’s words that end the novel? God bless us, every one!
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, every one!”