the.com/christmas carol
A ghost story that guilt-trips capitalists into buying bigger turkeys.
means A traditional song or hymn sung during the Christmas season, celebrating the holiday's themes of joy, nativity, and goodwill.
from 'Carol' comes from the Old French 'carole,' a word for a joyous ring-dance accompanied by singing, which itself likely traces back to the Latin 'choraula' and ultimately the Greek 'choros' — the root of 'chorus,' referring to a dancing, singing group. Originally carols weren't tied to Christmas at all; they were sung at various festivals and seasons, including spring and harvest. Over centuries, the word narrowed its focus, pulled almost entirely into the gravity of December, until 'carol' became nearly synonymous with Christmas itself — a dance that lost its feet but kept its voice.
- debt origin
- Dickens wrote it broke, to pay his own bills
- publishing speed
- Written in six weeks, published weeks before Christmas 1843
- coined phrase
- Popularized humbug as a word for fake sentiment
- instant hit
- First print run of 6000 sold out by Christmas Eve