At all times, Christmas has been the most beloved family holiday. On Christmas Eve, the family gathered around the stove or fireplace, at the festive table or near the sparkling Christmas tree. Then there were touching stories of miracles that happened on Christmas Day.
The founder of the genre and the author of the most famous Christmas tales was the classic of English literature Charles Dickens. In the middle of the 19th century, he wrote several stories dedicated to Christmas and Christmastide, and later began to publish them on the pages of the December issues of the magazines "Home Reading" and "Round the Year". In them, the writer developed the basic principles of the Christmas story: understanding the value of the human soul, the theme of memory and the danger of oblivion, the all-conquering love for a person, despite his sins and delusions. With his light hand, the most popular motives for Christmas and Christmas tales were the miraculous salvation of the hero from imminent death, the transformation of the villain into a good-natured person, reconciliation of enemies and oblivion of grievances.
Perhaps the most famous Christmastide story in Dickens's work, and perhaps in all world literature, is "A Christmas Carol." His hero, Ebeneiser Scrooge, whose soul has long been hardened and ceased to enjoy the holidays, under the influence of the Yule spirits who visited him on the night before Christmas, turned into a kind person who found happiness himself and learned to give it to those around him.
The story "The Cricket Behind the Hearth" takes place in the happy home of the Piribingle couple. Their family hearth is guarded by a cricket playing the violin - a kind home spirit. However, the characters' happiness and peace are threatened by the appearance of a mysterious stranger in their house and the upcoming wedding of friend Mary Peeribingle May to the rude and heartless toy manufacturer Tackleton. But, as befits a Christmastide story, "The Cricket Behind the Hearth" ends happily. May finds happiness with a mysterious stranger who turns out to be a very worthy young man, and Tackleton, like Mr. Scrooge, becomes a cheerful and good-natured person.
The hero of the story "Possessed, or a Deal with the Ghost", the chemistry teacher Redlow, makes a deal with the Ghost, who offered to rid him of all his difficult memories. However, the deal does not bring Redlow the long-awaited peace: he is tormented by outbursts of causeless anger, which he tears down on those around him. In addition, Redlow's gift tends to be passed on to anyone the teacher meets on his way. At the end of the story, the heroes understand that they need to keep memories of the mistakes of the past and try not to repeat them. The gift that has become unnecessary is returned to the Ghost.
In Dickens's novels, there is no moral degeneration of villains, and in his Christmastide stories, good always triumphs over evil, not only in the surrounding world, but also in the soul of every person. After all, Christmas is the time when human hearts are awakened for love and goodness.
