The History of A Christmas Carol, and the Victorian Era Tradition of Ghost Stories
- Abby Brenker
- Dec 22, 2024
- 2 min read
It’s that time of year again, when I get to remind you that the most famous ghost story of all time is a Christmas story. And that is for good reason. While it may not be surprising that A Christmas Carol is so infamous, it may be more surprising that there are almost endless ties between Christmas time and horrifying history and spooky traditions. Let's talk about the history of A Christmas Carol.
In October of 1843, Dickens started to write A Christmas Carol. He finished writing it in six weeks, finishing up the last pages in early December of 1843. Famously, he originally composed much of the story in his head while he took walks at night, often up to 15 and 20 miles long.
Dickens's sister-in-law wrote how he "wept, and laughed, and wept again, and excited himself in a most extraordinary manner, in composition." The story was originally published on December 19th, with the title; A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas.
Despite a somewhat expensive price of 5 shillings each, the 6,000 original first edition copies sold quickly. More editions were printed and sold over the next year. And legal battles over copyright issues sprang up, but Dickens won them. He was 31 years old at the time of publication.
It's not random that Dickens wrote such a successful Christmas themed ghost story. Historically, mid-winter is a season filled with harsh cold, loss and suffering. There was a belief the veil between the living and the dead was thin around the Winter Solstice and Yule. It’s no surprise that an oral tradition of storytelling to pass the time developed.
In Victorian England, this became a trend. The Industrial Revolution inspired folks to monetize these traditions, to sell ghost stories to be read on Christmas Eve. For many, it converted nostalgic family traditions into something tangible, that they could hold onto, cherish and pass along within their family. Charles Dickens had a lot to do with this. Dickens wrote many Christmas ghost stories, beyond A Christmas Carol.
Listen to episode 148 of the Lunatics Radio Hour podcast for more on the history of Holiday Horror.
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Hey folks, ghost stories tied to Christmas traditions feel both eerie and comforting. Reading about Dickens and the Victorian habit of fireside tales reminded me of family nights when stories passed between generations. Those settings gave simple evenings a deeper mood. In today’s conversations, espn plus reviews show up in odd ways as people connect seasonal entertainment habits, from sports to streaming, with the need for variety. The link across eras shows how content, whether scary or cheerful, remains part of seasonal rituals.