For our family, it’s just not Christmas without reading or watching a bit of Charles Dickens’ work.

And now that I’m in my early 70s—and I stress the word “early” almost as much as writing “70s” stresses me—I find quite a lot to relate to in Dickens’ 1851 essay What Christmas Is as We Grow Older.

I used the first few lines of the essay to frame my online Christmas card this year.

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is just the tip of his literary, Christmas-related iceberg. According to the Devon & Exeter Institution, “Between 1843 and 1848, he wrote five Christmas novellas, starting with the Carol, which was conceived and written in just six weeks in late 1843.” He also penned many essays and letters on the topic.

I have a personal sense of What Christmas Is is about. To me, he’s saying that we should cherish those we celebrate with today; remember, honor, and drink a toast to those we celebrated with in the past; and open our arms to the people we’ll come to know and celebrate with in the future.

Here’s a link to my downloadable PDF of Dickens’ essay. I hope you enjoy it.

And I hope your holidays are all kinds of happy. I hope the new year treats you well, and offers you comfort and joy and new opportunities to explore, grow, and learn.