Christmas with Charles Dickens

What a wonderful way to start off the Christmas season! I picked up an illustrated copy of A Christmas Carol at the library on Saturday and have been reading it aloud to my daughter. She's only a few months old, but I think she still enjoys listening and looking at the pictures. I love Dickens' style. It's lovely. The narrative is really quite funny at times; you get the sense that Dickens is an old friend sharing his own personal observations about the tale. The imagery he uses is vivid and makes it all come alive. It's particularly fun to read it aloud. You know how some things can be that way? I can't quite tell you why it is, but it is. Maybe it's because it's kind of rhythmic almost. I don't know, but if you have kids, read it to them and you'll see what I mean. Aside from all of that, reading A Christmas Carol is just a great way to ring in the Spirit of Christmas. It helps remind us that its family and friends that make life, and Christmas, truly full of joy - not the presents under the tree.