Charles Dickens’ 1835 short work, “A Christmas Dinner”, lovingly describes many of the traditions, foods, games and festivities we still associate with Christmas. This meditation, included in his debut collection “Sketches By Boz” (1836) includes the beginnings of his ideas for “A Christmas Carol”, including a “misanthrope” who doesn’t join in the Christmas spirit, and an empty chair at the family dinner table (Tiny Tim). A holiday classic and a window into the nascent genius of Dickens.
