It is hard to make it through the Christmas season without hearing some version of this story, which makes reading the original at least once a good idea. The story touches on the real Christmas spirit of giving and selflessness - a nice reminder in this age of rampant consumerism. The characters are classic, perhaps even a bit cliche at this point (who doesn't think of Donald Duck when they read about Scrooge!), the story suitable for a wide range of ages, and the writing from a master. Hard to go wrong with this one!