Almost two hundred years after it was written, A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> continues to enthral readers across the world. It is also considered a Christmas classic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, as may be expected from such a famous book, A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> has its own world of amazing, astonishing and fun facts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the 5 interesting facts about A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> that you never would have guessed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n On almost every other occasion, we say \u2018Happy\u2019, not \u2018Merry\u2019. Happy New Year, Happy Easter, Happy Birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, why do we use \u2018Merry Christmas\u2019 and not \u2018Happy Christmas\u2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you guess?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Merry Christmas\u2019 was in use pre-1843; however, \u2018Happy Christmas\u2019 was the more popular greeting, by far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evidence suggests that it was the 21<\/strong> appearances of \u2018Merry Christmas\u2019 in A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> that tipped the balance towards \u2018Merry Christmas\u2019; within a few decades, \u2018Happy Christmas\u2019 had been conclusively dethroned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr Dickens and his Carol<\/em><\/strong> by Samantha Silva and The Man Who Invented Christmas<\/em><\/strong> by Les Standiford are both very famous books on Christmas, and both are based on Charles Dickens’ writing A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uncover other Christmas books and classics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The inspiration to base his book on the spirit of Christmas and caring for the poor came to Mr Dickens as he spoke at a fundraising event for the Manchester Athenaeum – a very famous social club of that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the idea for the plot – a miserly individual being inspired to adopt gentler ways by Christmas – came from the story of Gabriel Grubb, a mean-spirited gravedigger who is kidnapped by goblins and convinced to become a kinder man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spoiler Alert<\/strong>: A Christmas Carol is one of the Christmas stories to be read during Christmas time. It consists of a ghost but is not exactly a traditional ghost story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel Grubb was the main character of The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton<\/em><\/strong>, a part of a series of stories called The Pickwick Papers<\/em><\/strong>, written by…wait for it …Charles Dickens himself. Now imagine doing that in the 1870s, in winter – a snowy winter – for a reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Confused?<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s exactly how popular A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> was in those times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Dickens used to give public readings of his works. When he did so in the United States, people would camp outside the venue in the winter snow to get tickets. The opening lines would be at least a mile long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And all this before social media and mass marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take that, Apple!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, he did. He used to maintain a very specific diet while he was giving readings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What kind of advantage this gave him or how it helped him, I have no idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two months after being released, A Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> was pirated by Parley\u2019s Illuminated Library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Dickens sued them for publishing his work without permission and won.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the publishers declared bankruptcy, robbing Mr Dickens of any financial recourse while he had to pay court costs of \u00a3700.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was this episode that inspired the famous satirical motto of the Chancery (court) – \u2018Suffer any wrong that can come you, rather than come here!\u2019 – in another of Mr Dickens\u2019 works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is he our traditional Santa Claus? If today\u2019s version of people being mesmerized by a work of art – rave reviews, overheating social media with commentary – amazes you, consider this<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take that for mesmerized!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Head here for A Christmas Carol Melbourne ticketing information<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A fan of VR Escape Rooms must always keep an eye out for unusual and relatively uncommon facts. You never know what can come in handy when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, will these particular facts prove useful at Melbourne\u2019s premier VR Escape Room<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever made you think I would reveal that in a blog post?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are your Christmas Eve plans? Tell us in the comments below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Facts](\"https:\/\/enterthemission.com\/melbourne\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/12\/Facts-about-A-Christmas-Carol.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt is a Trendsetter<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It was A Christmas Carol that did it\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It inspired two other books on Christmas<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Merry](\"https:\/\/enterthemission.com\/melbourne\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/12\/Merry-Christmas-muppets.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCharles Dickens gave the Idea to Charles Dickens<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Who was Gabriel Grubb?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nHave you camped outside an Apple store for an iPhone release?<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Did he have any particular habits during his readings?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/enterthemission.com\/melbourne\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/12\/A-bunch-of-kids-wishing-you-a-Merry-Christmas.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt was pirated soon after its release<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt absolutely mesmerized readers upon publication<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Christmas](\"https:\/\/enterthemission.com\/melbourne\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/12\/Christmas-themed-VR-Escape-Rooms.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat does this have to do with a VR Escape Room?<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n