A Christmas Carol is a novella written by Charles Dickens in 1843. It is the story of a wealthy but mean-spirited man named Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the three spirits of Christmas. Through their guidance and lessons, Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas and becomes a more compassionate and generous person. The story is a classic of Christmas literature and has been adapted into numerous films and plays.