How can we start the holidays on a positive note and also remind ourselves what the real message of Christmas is? A beautiful way to start celebrating the holidays is by re-reading a favorite classic.

One of the best Christmas stories of all time is Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The story of a lonely, bitter man who placed wealth above human relationships and is redeemed one cold Christmas Eve is as pleasurable a read today as it was in the 1800’s.

That Ebenezer Scrooge suffered tremendously in life, (a distant father who blamed him because his mother died giving him life, a beloved sister who died the same way as their mother), all contributed to the man he becomes. Avarice became his god replacing the gentle ChildGod of his faith.

Reading the book with your spouse and then watching one of the myriad films based on the book can be a truly rewarding experience. You may choose musical versions or even a cartoon one but, Alan’s and my personal choice is the 1954 version starring Alistair Sim. His portrayal of Ebnezer Scrooge ranges from serious and bitter at the beginning of the film to vulnerable, warm-hearted and an ability to laugh at himself at the end. His is the definitive Scrooge and one that is truest to Dickens’ written character.

We love the story of the mean miser who, through the help of his ghostly former business partner and the visitation of spirits, is made to remember just what the Christmas season really means; love, kindness, and compassion for all humanity. The birth of the Child Jesus and the subsequent message of Hope is what we are all seeking.

It doesn’t matter if your personal religious beliefs include Jesus as God or you believe the story of the First Christmas; it is the idea of what the birth means. Think of the birth of any child. It is an event filled with hope and love, with the promise of a new beginning. All this is given to Scrooge. In essence all births give us a new lease on life.

The older I get the more I believe that the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of the Child born in Bethlehem transcends all religious beliefs.

It is the story of new beginnings, of a belief in possible miracles, of love actually triumphing, of a chance to renew our feelings of Hope. It is a story to which all people of all faiths and spiritual beliefs can relate: new life.

Hope and starting anew are what Dickens wrote about in “A Christmas Carol.” It is a story for all who believe and those who want to believe.

May your Christmas season be blessed with happiness and hope. May humor be a gift you give yourself, and may you give the priceless gifts of kindness and compassion to all. Finally, may the New Year bring you a chance for new beginnings and renewed faith that anything is possible.

Love, Peace, Happiness
Alan and Kristen

Looking for worthy charities?
Please support the following:
Sacred Jude
http://www.tg.stjude.org
North Shore Animal League, a no kill facility
http://www.nsalamerica.org


Sacred Jude, Power of Miracles!