A Christmas Carol

"Why is the story A Christmas Carol so popular? Why is it ever new? I personally feel it is inspired of God. It brings out the best within human nature. It gives hope. It motivates change." - Thomas S. Monson

This Christmas, I finally read Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol. It was the perfect accompaniment to the holiday season, just what I needed to stir up some Christmas cheer.

Of his purpose in writing this tale, Dickens said, "I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it." He was trying to infuse our homes with the Christmas "Ghost", or Christmas Spirit as we call it.

And he accomplished his goal marvelously. I am now haunted by a spirit of goodwill and bothered by the urgency of mortality.

I recommend this book to everyone at any time, but especially at Christmas. When you read it, you will want to shout out (as Scrooge does), "I am not the man I was before!"