Born on December 19
A Christmas Carol Is Published
The book that warmed Scrooge's heart.
Next: December 19, 2026
Where it comes from
This Story marks the anniversary of 19 December 1843, when Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol was published in London by Chapman and Hall. Dickens wrote it in about six weeks, finishing on 2 December.
How it's celebrated
The story remains a favourite to read in the run-up to Christmas or to see on stage and screen; the British Library calls it the most filmed and televised of Dickens's works. The Charles Dickens Museum in London, in the Doughty Street house where he lived from 1837 to 1839, is dressed for Christmas each season.
Did you know
The first printing of 6,000 copies sold out within days, but the lavish production meant Dickens made only £230 from it.
Read the full story of A Christmas Carol Is Published
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