The annual Thanksgiving Day celebration has passed, and my attention naturally turns to the next event on my calendar– The Gospel According to Scrooge.  This year celebrates Kingwood Church’s twenty-ninth edition of the annual Christmas production.  I have been honored to play the part of old Ebenezer Scrooge in all but two of those years, and still look forward to it like a schoolboy just waiting’ for Father Christmas.  So it’s time for me to rehearse my lines and polish my British accent, which I won’t lose until well into January.  Once it takes over my brain, it’s difficult to simply switch it off after the final performance.

Whether you’ve ever seen the performance or not, you’re probably familiar with the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens on which our adaptation is based.  When one hears the name Ebenezer Scrooge, the first thing that comes to mind is usually– “Bah, Humbug.”  If you’ll indulge me, let me give you some history behind the 173 year-old Dickens story, the Scrooge character, and his obnoxious trademark phrase.

Dickens wrote the famous story in less than a month.  It wasn’t a novel, (like David Copperfield or Oliver Twist), but a novella, a short story– 68 pages written with a goose quill and black ink.  It it actually titled, “A Christmas Carol,”  The original manuscript rests today in a London museum.

Here’s an interesting fact– Dickens’ notes show that “Tiny Tim” was originally intended to be named, “Little Fred.”  Dickens did a fabulous job of creating unforgettable characters with detailed descriptions that to this day still move our hearts.  His loyal clerk, Bob Cratchit, and Bob’s frail handicapped son, Tiny Tim are portrayed as positive, uplifting, and well-mannered Londoners, despite their poverty and scant hope for a comfortable life.  On the opposite end of the spectrum is the self-absorbed, crusty old Scrooge, who has nothing good to say about anyone, and who’s selfish love of money has robbed him of all things good and decent.  His overnight transformation after enduring the visit of three spirits is symbolized in the meaning of Christmas itself– heaven comes down  to change a mortal man.  It’s the Christmas message of Jesus.

Our presentation (utilizing dance, music and truck loads of humor) explores Ebenezer’s reasons for being so hard and uncaring– his difficult childhood and unfortunate circumstances.  And it reveals what’s really important in this life– a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that can heal every hurt.  Each night we offer the good news to the thousands that come to watch the play.  And every night we see the fruits of our gospel presentation as people come to Christ.  To quote Bob Cratchit, “It makes our Christmas Day complete.”

What about “Bah, Humbug?”  What in the world does it mean?  It was a phrase first recognized in 1751, and made it into the English (British) dictionary by the 1840’s.  Humbug originally meant “imposter” or “fraud,” but came to also mean “worthless”  and  “meaningless.”

Ebenezer Scrooge repeated the phrase over and over because he saw Christmas joy as worthless and meaningless, and the people around him who were joyful and merry, he considered “fakes,” “imposters,” and “frauds.”   Scrooge saw no possibility that common people, especially the poor, could have real joy in life without worldly possessions.  They must be faking it.  To quote Scrooge, “It’s enough to make a man regurgitate!”  And yet Ebenezer Scrooge was himself a miserable old miser– possessing more wealth than he could spend, and holding on to it with an iron grip.  Humbug really describes those, like Scrooge, who are miserable because they simply refuse to be happy.

Oh, and here’s another amazing fact:  Charles Dickens was the primary reason that we wish one another a “Merry Christmas.”   Until Dickens published his story, it was common in England to wish one a “Happy Christmas.”  Charles Dickens was especially fond of Christmas song, God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, where the word “merry” meant “happily contented.”  He chose “merry” quite intentionally.   Rich or poor– Christmas is a time to find  joyous contentment in what is really important– relationship with friends, with family, and with the focus of Christmas– Jesus Christ.

So Merry Christmas to all.

“And God bless us, every one!”  (Tiny Tim)