The Gilmore Book Club

Can Three Ghosts Really Show You How To Keep The Christmas Spirit All Year Long?

I have plenty of holiday traditions, and although I didn’t intend for it to be this way, A Christmas Carol has always been a part of how I celebrate the holidays. At first, the unintentional tradition was just watching whatever movie version was on TV. Then, I was cast as Mrs. Fezziwig in the play version at a local theater.

The Fezziwigs have small roles in the story of A Christmas Carol. In fact, some versions only show Mr. Fezziwig, and leave out his wife entirely. The play, however, gives them an entire scene and one fantastic song. Nothing gave me more joy than to swirl about on stage in my golden dress, leading the cast in a festive song and dance with Mr. Fezziwig. I could still probably sing you a few verses of the song, but for my purposes here, there’s only one line that really matters: “I wish that every day could be December the 25th!” I’ve played many roles on the stage, but there’s no one I embody, respect, and adore more than Mrs. Fezziwig.

What really catches my attention though, is that in Dickens’ version, Mrs. Fezziwig is described as Mr. Fezziwig’s partner- his equal. I am by no means an expert on the writings of Dickensian contemporaries, but I’d venture to say, this kind of description is rare. In our world it means the Fezziwigs are equal partners in life, but in the context of the book, it means Mrs. Fezziwig has a spectacular Christmas spirit, and dances with such talent and passion to put the youngsters to shame- just like her husband.

While I do love to dance, it’s the Christmas spirit that connects me to Mrs. Fezziwig the most. I’ve been enamored with Christmas ever since I can remember and always start my holiday celebrations way earlier than everyone else. The decorations, the music, the delicious treats- I just can’t get enough. Christmas music always relaxes me, no matter what time of year, and taking down my Christmas tree always makes me want to cry. I really do wish that every day could be December the 25th, though I’d accept December the 24th too!

Just like Mrs. Fezziwig, I carried the Christmas spirit in my heart, dancing my way through the days of the year. Well, at least I did.  This year, I have to admit, the world did its best to change all that. And I admit, I let it. There were people whom I loved and trusted that turned out to be the opposite of the wonderful people I thought they were, and as a result, my faith in humankind faltered. Then, a co-worker and friend of mine passed away, and I was unprepared for how much that shook me. Overwhelmed, overworked, and uninspired, I’ve spent nights staring at my Christmas tree feeling empty and immobile. Carrying those burdens felt like I was dragging around chains of my own, mentally and emotionally shackled. But the weight became so oppressive, that I noticed I was no longer me. I was no longer someone who went out of their way to help others. I was no longer a person who smiled at everyone and said hello. I was no longer someone who embodied the Spirit of Christmas.

I kept looking at everything around me, my home, my job, my friends, so aware of how blessed I am, but knowing it and feeling it are two very different things. I had no right to be so dejected, no reason to be such a Scrooge at a time that I love the most.  

Ebenezer Scrooge is just about the miserliest miser in literary existence. In fact, his name has become synonymous with avarice and the absence of that love and light that we often associate with the Christmas spirit. He and his Humbug ways are at their worst around the holidays, juxtaposed with the cheerfulness that seems to bounce through the air like jingle bells. But Scrooge is no lost cause. The ghostly form of Scrooge’s deceased partner, Jacob Marley, foretells the coming of three ghosts: Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come.

I kept thinking of how giddy with joy I was for each Christmas season that had past. Belting carols at the top of my lungs, reading holiday stories, decorating the tree- I’ve always felt my absolute best at Christmas. Yes, it was all the fun activities and time spent with family and friends, but it’s more than that. It’s a lightness of heart that throws off the heavy chains of the world, and for a time, you’re filled with joy and wonder, as if you were a child again, marveling at every little thing. You’re open to discovering new things, delighting and celebrating each detail. How I luxuriated in such a feeling. But now, now standing in the midst of a city where every building was adorned with Christmas décor and bustling with holiday tourists, I felt out of place.

The Ghosts of Christmas have yet to wake me from my bed in the middle of the night, but I don’t need them to figure out that I was dealing with ghosts of my own: the Ghost of Troubles- past, present, and future. We all experience similar hauntings at some times in our lives, but for me, it’s still the spirit of Christmas that can turn everything around.

Through the lessons of the three Ghosts, Scrooge realizes that the Spirit of Christmas is far more important than attaining material wealth. He opens his heart to helping others, to joy, and to love. Opening your heart to such things is easy when everyone else is baking cookies and giving gifts, but what about the rest of the year? What happens when the tree is taken down and there are no longer Christmas cards in your mailbox?

I love my Christmas tree, well, all Christmas trees really, but mine has a special place in my heart because it’s the one I sit in front of night after night. I love the way the ornaments sparkle amidst the soft glow of the lights. It’s that glow that I adore, that I hold onto desperately, that I miss when it goes away- from the tree and from me. I’m always on the brink of tears when I take down my Christmas tree. It hurts to take down a thing of such beauty. It hurts to extinguish its glow.

But the glow of Christmas should be in your spirit throughout the entire year. That’s the moral of A Christmas Carol, and that’s what I lost sight of for a while this year. For several nights in December, I set aside time to just sit and read A Christmas Carol. With each night I spent with Dickens’ writing, and with each ghost that visited Scrooge, I felt a familiar light come back into my heart. And the more I put joy and love into each holiday activity, the more I felt like myself again.

Scrooge too had lost his way, but it took way too many years and intervention from several supernatural beings for him to find the right path again. Don’t spend all that time in the dark like Scrooge did- both literally and figuratively. Bask in that glow of love, kindness, and joy all year round. And if you find yourself with any Scrooge-like tendencies, it may be time to ask yourself, “What would Mrs. Fezziwig do?”  

Rory’s Reading Recommendations

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