One of my favorite stories is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. How many other tales feature a miser, four ghosts, tombstones, and a goose?

Actually, before I read this story I thought it was about somebody named Carol. See, I once had a girlfriend I called Christmas Carol, because we broke up every December.

But if you haven’t read this fantastic Dickens classic, here’s a brief synopsis:

Ebenezer Scrooge is crochety old geezer working Christmas Eve with his clerk Bob Cratchit. When his nephew Fred invites him to Christmas dinner, Scrooge says it’s a waste of a workday, and tells the nephew to leave.

But when Scrooge gets home that night, he’s visited by the ghost of his deceased partner Jacob Marley, who also lived a selfish life. He warns Scrooge that he’ll soon be visited by three ghosts who might be able to save him.

The Ghost of Christmas Past reminds Scrooge he could have married if he had not chosen money over matrimony. The Ghost of Christmas Present transports Scrooge to the Cratchit household, where he sees a happy family enjoy the evening. (Sadly, they couldn’t watch television, because 18th century TV offered few channels.)

Next, the scary Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come takes Scrooge to a graveyard, where he views his gravestone and hears negative comments about himself from acquaintances.

Christmas morning finds Scrooge a changed man, who helps Cratchit and suddenly becomes friendly and generous. This story reminds us that (1) a selfish life is a sad one, (2) it’s impossible to find Christmas movies on a 200-year-old TV, and (3) giving money away brings a happier day.