A Christmas Carol quotes, explained for kids
A Christmas Carol gave the world some of its favorite holiday words, from “Bah! Humbug!” to Tiny Tim’s “God bless us every one!” Dickens wrote it to be read aloud, so these lines sound wonderful spoken in a big, dramatic voice. Read one together, act it out, then talk about what it means. Scrooge’s journey from grump to giver is a perfect way to talk with a 6–9 year old about kindness, change and second chances.
Every line is quoted word for word from the original 1843 novel by Charles Dickens.
Quote 1: “Marley was dead: to begin with.”
Narrator, these are the first words of the story What it means: The storyteller wants us to know right away that Scrooge’s old partner, Jacob Marley, has died. It matters, because Marley is about to come back as a ghost!
Ask your child: Why do you think the story starts by telling us someone is dead? Does it make you want to keep reading?
Quote 2: “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!”
Narrator, at the start of the story, the narrator describes what Scrooge is like What it means: This is a long list of words that all mean Scrooge holds on tight to his money and never wants to share any of it.
Ask your child: Can you act out each word with your hands? Which one sounds the meanest?
Quote 3: “Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!”
Ebenezer Scrooge, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s cheerful nephew Fred wishes him a merry Christmas What it means: “Humbug” means nonsense or a silly trick. Scrooge is saying that Christmas and all its cheer are a lot of nonsense.
Ask your child: What do you think Scrooge has forgotten about Christmas?
Quote 4: “Are there no prisons?”
Ebenezer Scrooge, two kind gentlemen ask Scrooge to give money to help poor people at Christmas What it means: Scrooge means poor people should be sent to prisons and workhouses instead of getting help from him. It is a very cold-hearted answer.
Ask your child: What could Scrooge have said instead? How could he have helped?
Quote 5: “I wear the chain I forged in life,”
Jacob Marley’s Ghost, marley’s ghost appears to Scrooge, wrapped in heavy chains What it means: Marley made his chain himself, one link at a time, every time he was greedy or unkind while he was alive. Now he has to carry it forever.
Ask your child: If kind deeds made something light and happy instead of a chain, what would it be?
Quote 6: “Mankind was my business.”
Jacob Marley’s Ghost, scrooge tells Marley he was always a good man of business, and Marley cries out in sorrow What it means: Marley wishes he had understood that his real job in life was caring about other people, not just making money.
Ask your child: What do you think your “business,” or important job, is for the people around you?
Quote 7: “God bless us every one!” said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
Tiny Tim, the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the Cratchit family enjoying their small Christmas dinner What it means: Tiny Tim is little and not well, but he hopes for good things for everybody, not just himself.
Ask your child: Who would you include if you made a wish for “every one”?
Quote 8: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Ebenezer Scrooge, after the last spirit’s visit, Scrooge makes a promise What it means: Scrooge promises to keep the Christmas feeling of kindness and sharing, not just on one day, but every day of the year.
Ask your child: How could you keep a little bit of Christmas kindness going in the middle of summer?
Quote 9: “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy.”
Ebenezer Scrooge, scrooge wakes up in his own bed on Christmas morning What it means: Scrooge feels so happy and free that he can hardly stand still. He is a changed man.
Ask your child: What does it feel like to be “as light as a feather”? When have you felt that way?
Quote 10: “he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.”
Narrator, at the very end, the narrator tells us how Scrooge lived from then on What it means: Scrooge became famous for being kind, generous and joyful at Christmas time, more than anyone else.
Ask your child: What does it mean to “keep Christmas well”? What would you do?
Questions about A Christmas Carol quotes
- What is the most famous quote from A Christmas Carol?
- The most famous lines are Scrooge’s grumpy “Bah! Humbug!” and Tiny Tim’s “God bless us every one!” The opening line, “Marley was dead: to begin with,” is also well known.
- What does “Bah! Humbug!” mean?
- “Humbug” means nonsense or a fraud, and “Bah!” is a grumpy noise. Scrooge says it to mean that Christmas cheer is a lot of silly nonsense.
- Who says “God bless us every one”?
- Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit’s youngest son, says it at the family’s Christmas dinner. The narrator repeats it as the story’s final words.
- What does “I wear the chain I forged in life” mean?
- Jacob Marley’s ghost means that his heavy chain was made by his own greedy, selfish choices while he was alive. He warns Scrooge that Scrooge is building an even longer one.