God bless us, every one! It's the holiday season, and 179 years ago this month -- on December 19, 1843 -- Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, creating the classic story of Christmas redemption, helping to set a Victorian-era template for the holiday that lives on today, and establishing countless now-unavoidable tropes of the season, from the miser named Scrooge to the importance of generosity and compassion to even phrases like "bah humbug" and that blessing to all of us.
HISTORY's Moment in Media: "A Christmas Carol's" Origins and Legacy
