Program Note

“Why do we tell ghost stories at Christmas?” Richie Call, the director, posed this question during our first meeting together. It was a question that intrigued me, and one that I didn’t have an answer to. I had never thought about A Christmas Carol being a ghost story, and it seemed strange to tell one at Christmas time.

While researching this show, I discovered that Charles Dickens was not the first person to tell ghost stories at Christmas. For thousands of years, December was regarded as the spookiest month because of its shorter days. Christmas itself falls on one of the darkest days of the year. The ancient Germanic people believed the end of December was marked by increased supernatural activity. According to Nordic folklore, the god Odin would lead a terrifying procession of monsters through the sky on the winter solstice, abducting any humans who failed to find a good hiding spot. This hardly sounds like “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Christmas ghost stories emerged from these dark winter fables. Dickens took these fables and created a heartwarming tale that has lasted centuries. He realized that what we need in the darkest time of the year is a story of hope and change. A Christmas Carol teaches us not to hide from our ghosts as the ancient Germanic people did, but to listen to and learn from them. 

As we watch “scary ghost stories and tales of the glory of Christmases long, long ago,” I hope that we are not haunted by our past, present, and future. The last few years have been difficult for many, so tonight, let’s sit together with our friends and families and find hope for the coming year.