Posted on 12/10/2004 2:41:00 PM PST by ruthles
It was Christmas Eve. Ebenezer Scrooge didn’t care that it was the best holiday of the year. Bob Cratchit worked for Scrooge. Cratchit was very afraid of Scoroge. It took a lot of courage for him to ask Scrooge if he could have Christmas Day off. Scrooge was a mean man. “Christmas!” shouted the miserly Scrooge. “Bah, humbug!” But Scrooge gave Cratchit permission to spend Christmas Day with his family. Cratchit rushed out the door. He didn’t want Scrooge to change his mind. Just then, Scrooge’s nephew Fred stopped to visit. He was a very kind and generous man. Fred invited Scrooge over for Christmas dinner. The old man just scowled. “Christmas! Bah, humbug!” was his answer. He told Fred to leave the office. After counting his money, Scrooge left for home. After dinner, he sat in his favorite chair. He fell asleep. He started having a terrible nightmare. Scrooge heard the clanging of chains. He saw a ghost named Jacob Marley. Marley had been Scrooge’s business partner. He was moaning and groaning. “I was selfish,” said the ghost. “I carry these chains of selfishness and greed through eternity. So will you, Scrooge!” “No! Scrooge cried. “This is just a dream. Help me, Jacob. Tell me what I must do! I don’t want to be miserable forever.” Jacob Marley said “Tonight three spirits will visit you. Listen and obey them. You do what they tell you to do.” When the ghost disappeared, Scrooge shook his head. I’m having a terrible dream, he thought. May be I ate too much. He had just fallen asleep when the alarm clock rang. There on the table next to the clock stood a little man. He said, “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.” He grabbed Scrooge’s hand and said “I am going to take you to a Christmas of long ago.” Scrooge and the spirit flew through the air. They stopped at a house filled with music and laughter and people. There was a holiday party going on. Scrooge yelled “That’s me when I was young!! There’s Fezziwig. He gave me my first job. And there is my first true love, Isabel.” The Spirit reminded Scrooge that he had exchanged the love of Isabel for the love of money. Scrooge was very sad. He said “I don’t want to see any more. Please Spirit, take me home!” Suddenly the alarm clock rang again. Scrooge woke up. He thought “I must be dreaming again.” He rubbed his eyes. “Fee, fi, fo, fum!” yelled a voice. There sat a giant in his bedroom. It was surrounded by a huge feast.
Scrooge said “What’s all of this food?” “It is the food of generosity,” the giant explained. “Too bad you know nothing of generosity. I’m the ghost of Christmas Present. Come with me! Let’s see what is happening tonight.” Scrooge followed the ghost to a tiny house. Scrooge looked through the cracked window. It was Bob Cratchit’s home. “What a poor dinner they’re having” Scrooge said sadly. The he asked, “What’s wrong with the little boy?” “Tiny Tim is very ill,” said the giant. “He needs good food to make him strong and well. You must pay his father more so he can buy his family enough to eat…” The giant’s voiced faded, and then he was gone. Suddenly Scrooge heard another voice behind him. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Future,” it said. Scrooge turned to find himself in a graveyard. “Whose lonely grave is this?” he asked. “It belongs to a very rich man,” the ghost said. “He was a man who was so selfish and unkind that he had no friends.” The ghost waited for Scrooge’s reaction. Then Scrooge read the name on the stone. He couldn’t believe his eyes? It was his very own grave! “Oh, give me another chance!” cried Scrooge. “Tell me it’s not too late to change my ways!!!” Scrooge kept begging, crying and pleading with the spirit until he woke up. He was still alive and healthy in his own bedroom. He jumped out of bed with joy. It wasn’t too late—he hadn’t missed Christmas, after all. There was still time to correct his past mistakes. He dressed quickly and rushed outside. He threw money to the men collecting money for the poor. He promised his nephew he would come for dinner. But first Scrooge hurried over to Cratchit’s house. He brought toys for Tiny Tim and the other children. He also brought a wonderful Christmas dinner for everyone. Cratchit and his wife were very pleased by Scrooge’s change of heart. Scrooge promised his family that from this day forward, they would have an uncle who helped them and loved them. It was a Christmas miracle for Fred, Cratchit and Scrooge!!! Tiny Tim said one thing: ”God bless us, every one!!!”
Mr Magoo is a classic version.
I liked the Bugs Bunny one, with Yosemite Sam as Scrooge. And who can forget Scrooge McDuck!
Though, I never quite figured out who the parents of Huey, Dewey and Louie were.
Were they orphans?
They wre the illegitimate children of Scrooge McDuck as a result of his one-time fling with Daisy.
Scrooge paid off her and Donald to raise them....
(But don't tell anyone you heard that from me! )
I must have seen this at least 30 times and I still cry everytime, along with It's a Wonderful Life...when they toast George..I know, I am a sap..but hey, Merry Christmas and God Bless Us..everyone!
Amen, I just saw Polar Express with my kids and thought it was terrific. It'll go on my list of classics, Rudolph, It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, and The Tale of the Three Trees.
Wasn't it Daisy and Donald? Or were they Donald's nephews? Did D. have a brotehr or sister? I can't remember.
I'm going to rely upon the experts here, but I believe that Scrooge McDuck was Donald's Scottish cousin, who was responsible for raising Huey, Dewey and Louie after Donald was shipped out overseas.
>> I just saw Polar Express with my kids and thought it was terrific<<
Polar Express creeped the heck out of me.
It looked like a happy, "Christmas Night of the Living Dead"
to both myself and my hubby.
My kids loved it though.
This is what I find on the triplets.....
http://duckman.pettho.com/characters/hdl.html
They are the children of Donald's sister Della and an unknown father.
I appreciate it.
Who knew that Walt Disney was so ahead of his time?
It must have been quite a bill... You know... ducks...bill. Ok, I'll slink away now.
I can now check "A Christmas Carol" off my annual list?
I thought he was an Uncle?
Doesn't matter.
Don't slink away!
You really quacked me up!
:-)
THAT is a cool link!
I've also been wondering about "Polar Express".
Caitlin isn't really enthused about it, so after reading your comments, i will wait for it to come out on vidio to see it.
Good heavens.
Why are you awake?
i thought only crazy people like me, the military and those folks who work the graveyard shift were up!
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