A Christmas Carol is a classic novella written by Charles Dickens, first published in 1843. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly and bitter man who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and three spirits on Christmas Eve. The spirits take Scrooge on a journey through his past, present, and future, showing him the error of his ways and the consequences of his greed. Scrooge is transformed by the experience and becomes a changed man, a generous and kind soul who is eager to celebrate Christmas.