"A Christmas Carol" is a classic novella by Charles Dickens, published in 1843. It follows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy and miserly old man who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, on Christmas Eve. Marley warns Scrooge that if he doesn't change his ways, he will suffer a similar fate. Scrooge is then visited by three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. Each spirit shows Scrooge his past, present, and future, helping him