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The beloved tale, written by Charles Dickens in 1843, was more than a mere Christmas story; it changed how people celebrated the holiday. Because of the story, traditions like charitable contributions and making the holiday an event to celebrate with friends and family; before this, it wasn’t really a ‘big deal’ as we see it now. The appearance of ghosts, however, was a longstanding tradition in England, and they often told scary stories during the holiday. Dickens created the classic for multiple reasons. Firstly, he was broke and needed the funds. Secondly, it was a reform piece, designed to show the plight of the poor - something close to the author’s heart (he spent some of his childhood in a workhouse). To get the book printed by Christmas, a simple six-page manuscript was submitted to the publishers for approval as the book was not fully envisioned. It was printed and ready to sell by Dec. 19, and sold out by Christmas Eve; within a year, the book had been reprinted 13 times. Though A Christmas Carol is his most popular, Dickens wrote four other holiday stories, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, and The Haunted Man.