A Christmas Carol is a classic novel written by Charles Dickens in 1843. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy but miserly businessman who is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. The spirits show Scrooge the errors of his ways and encourage him to change his ways and become a more compassionate and generous person. The main characters in the story are Ebenezer Scrooge, the three spirits, and the Cratchit family, whose son, Tiny Tim, represents the spirit of Christmas.