Context

• The decorated Christmas tree is thought to have been brought to Britain from Germany by Albert in 1841 and was soon adopted by most homes who wanted to join in the festivities
• The Christmas card dates back to 1843 when Henry Cole asked an artist to design one for him
• Serving turkey as the main meal at Christmas comes from the Victorians
• The first collection of Christmas carols being published in 1833
• Dickens believed Christmas should be a time of peace and goodwill to everyone no matter their social status
• Dickens was acutely aware of the poverty evident in Victorian Britain
• Many people were living in cramped conditions as cities became overpopulated due to the Industrial Revolution
• Disease was overcoming many people due to unsanitary living conditions
• Prior to the Industrial Revolution more people worked the land as farmers
• Rich businessmen and owners of the factories exploited their workers expecting them to work extremely long hours for very little pay
• Dickens himself experienced poverty when his family went into debt
• In 1834 the new Poor Law was introduced to Britain to try and combat the large numbers of poor people in the country at the time
• The new Poor Law stated that in order to receive any financial assistance anyone without a job was required to enter a workhouse if they wish to receive support than money in housing
• Dickens was against the new Poor Law and is criticised in some of his other writings such as Oliver Twist and some of his journals
• In A Christmas Carol, Dickens is presenting education as a way out of poverty through his use of the two children ignorance and want