Category Archives: Christmas
Aasof on ‘A Christmas Carol’
Posted by on Dec 28, 2019
A Christmas Carol (complete versions) are available from Project Gutenberg but how did a ‘A Christmas Carol’ come to be written. The best explanation that I found was that the real-life inspiration for Tiny Tim had a much sadder fate than Tiny Tim in ‘A Christmas Carol’. Dickens’s frustration about poverty in Great Britain led to Lucinda Hawksley writing about the classic. ‘A Christmas Carol’ remains a popular story at Christmastime and the BBC constantly adapted it, most of their adaptations can be found in a RadioTimes article. Read more of this post
A Christmas Carol — The End Of It.
Posted by on Dec 27, 2019
Yes! and the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!
“I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!” Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. “The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob; on my knees!”
He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer to his call. He had been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit, and his face was wet with tears. Read more of this post
A Christmas Carol — The Last Of The Spirits.
Posted by on Dec 26, 2019
The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.
It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded.
He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved.
“I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?” said Scrooge. Read more of this post
A Christmas Carol — The Second Of The Three Spirits.
Posted by on Dec 25, 2019
Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told that the bell was again upon the stroke of One. He felt that he was restored to consciousness in the right nick of time, for the especial purpose of holding a conference with the second messenger despatched to him through Jacob Marley’s intervention. But finding that he turned uncomfortably cold when he began to wonder which of his curtains this new spectre would draw back, he put them every one aside with his own hands; and lying down again, established a sharp look-out all round the bed. For he wished to challenge the Spirit on the moment of its appearance, and did not wish to be taken by surprise, and made nervous. Read more of this post
A Christmas Carol — The First of The Three Spirits
Posted by on Dec 24, 2019
When Scrooge awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. He was endeavouring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighbouring church struck the four quarters. So he listened for the hour. Read more of this post
A Christmas Carol — Marley’s Ghost
Posted by on Dec 23, 2019
Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ’Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Read more of this post
Matt on the News 2018
Posted by on Dec 29, 2018
“A terrorist has entered the UK. Don’t worry, his shampoo and toothpaste were in a clear plastic bag.”
Books & my (occasional) anecdote
Posted by on Dec 29, 2018
This week on Facebook: It’s Christmas week —
Aasof’s Reflections 