Charles Dickens got Scrooge wrong?

Ira Wesley Kitmacher

As the classic 1963 Andy Williams song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” says, telling scary ghost stories during the holidays was once a popular tradition! Telling these stories was particularly common in England and America during the Victorian era while Queen Victoria sat on the British throne (1837-1901).

Stories about spooky things were told during the winter solstice (the most common date is Dec. 21) — the shortest day and longest night of the year. That day was thought to be a time of transition and change between fall and winter, and some believed the “veil between the living and dead” was at its most permeable.

In days before electricity, huddling around a fire when it was dark and cold out, listening to spooky stories with friends and family allowed for just enough of a shiver while basking in the comfort and warmth of home.

There was holiday “monster,” Krampus, the anti-Claus, a horned Alpine figure in folklore — not unlike the Grinch of cartoon fame — who scared misbehaving children. He was known to assist Santa Claus, visiting children on Dec. 5, with well-behaved children receiving a gift from Santa and badly behaved children being punished by Krampus.

The ghost story tradition remained prevalent in England through the 19th century with “A Christmas Carol,” written by Charles Dickens in 1843. As Ebenezer Scrooge, the cold-hearted miser in Dickens’ story said to the ghosts (his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas past, present and yet to come) who were haunting him on Christmas Eve: “air filled with phantoms... show me no more!”

After their visit, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man who discovers the true meaning of the holiday — giving and generosity. Interestingly, Dickens based Scrooge on a real person, Ebenezer Scroggie, whose tombstone he read in Edinburgh’s (Scotland) Canongate Kirkyard (churchyard) as saying Scroggie was a “mean man.”

Dickens pondered how a life could be wasted when the only epitaph was about meanness. However, Dickens misread the tombstone; it said Scroggie was a “meal man,” a corn merchant! Scroggie was thought of as a good and generous man. Although Dickens misread the tombstone, his mistake lives on and the message of redemption resonates with us still!

In mid-20th century America, instead of ghosts, stories and movies featured angels helping and teaching mortals lessons about the holidays and life. This was the case in 1946’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” and 1947’s “The Bishop’s Wife.”

As “It’s a Wonderful Life” protagonist George Bailey said to Clarence Odbody, the angel who was helping him to see how important his life was, “Look, little fella, go off and haunt somebody else, will you?” Interestingly, while the angel Dudley in “The Bishop’s Wife” was more like a traditional angel (a spiritual being, more powerful than humans), Clarence was more like a ghost (a mortal who died and went to heaven but had to “earn his wings” through good deeds — now the helpful dead). In each of these two stories, the protagonists learned the true meaning of love, life and the holidays.

More recently, in 1993’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Jack Skellington, a living skeleton, attempts to kidnap Santa Claus. As Jack darkly observed: “monsters are all missing ... nightmares can’t be found ... good feeling all around ... they’re busy building toys and absolutely no one’s dead.” Skellington later learned his lesson and apologized to Santa.

Many of these stories follow one of two formulas. The first, a misunderstanding of the holidays, bad behavior and subsequently learning the true meaning, and the second a human asking for and receiving help from a greater power.

Other countries have fascinating “spooky” holiday traditions. In Norway, there is a superstition that witches and evil spirits are especially active on Christmas Eve, and brooms are hidden to prevent them from being stolen. In Wales, “Dead Horse” carolers carry a horse skull (in past times, a real skull, more recently a fake skull) and sheet on a stick to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck while going door-to-door singing carols and challenging homeowners to a rhyming duel.

Throughout history, dark themes (ghosts, witches, evil spirits, skeletons) and festive cheer have highlighted the bridge between the solemn themes of death related to the end of seasons and the joyous anticipation of renewal and a new year.

Ira Wesley Kitmacher is an Olympia-based historian and author, writing “Haunted Puget Sound,” “Pacific Northwest Legends and Lore,” and other published books. He leads tours based on his books. Ira is a speaker at various public venues. He is featured on television, radio, and other media. Ira is a Commissioner on the Thurston County Historic Commission. He is a professor, having taught at Georgetown University and other colleges. Ira is a retired senior federal executive and attorney.