Man Invented Christmas

Just before Christmas in 1843, a debt-ridden and dispirited Charles Dickens wrote a small book he hoped would keep his creditors at bay. His publisher turned it down, so Dickens used what little money he had to put out A Christmas Carol himself. He worried it might be the end of his career as a novelist. The book immediately caused a sensation. And it breathed new life into a holiday that had fallen into disfavor, undermined by lingering Puritanism and the cold modernity of the Industrial Revolution.

It is hard to imagine Christmas season without the rich and fanciful Yuletide tales of Charles Dickens. Indeed, late 19th century newspapers in both England and the United States hailed him as "The man who invented Christmas". This Magical Reality Chautauqua Show Presentation illustrates why. Dickens guides us through scenes of merriment, redemption and poignant joy.

October 13 isn’t just a date. It’s reveal day — when what’s been buried, feared, whispered about, or locked away decides it’s done waiting. One seemingly ordinary day turns into a 24-hour collision of superstitions, crackdowns, miraculous survivals, surprise honors, public reckonings, hidden histories, and the deeply human urge to assign meaning to whatever emerges from the dark at exactly the wrong moment. October 13 has a particular talent for exposure — for the instant a sealed chamber opens, a myth gains teeth, a name gets called, or something long contained suddenly becomes...