Ebenezer Scrooge
When Dickens introduced Ebenezer Scrooge to the world in 1843, he may have borrowed the name from a real Edinburgh gravestone: Ebenezer Scrogie, a meal man (corn merchant) whose epitaph Dickens reportedly misread as “mean man.” That tiny misunderstanding gave rise to the English language’s most enduring curmudgeon — and it became the foundation for a full day dedicated to tracing Scrooge’s journey from bitterness to generosity, one corn-themed meal at a time.
The morning stayed firmly in character. Ben appeared in a Victorian nightshirt and stocking cap, channeling peak-grumpy Scrooge as we sat down to a deliberately unpleasant breakfast: plain corn grits, bitter black tea, and unsweetened corn muffins. It was a meal designed to taste like a “humbug,” and it succeeded.
But soon, the tone began to soften. By mid-morning, we shared the true story of Ebenezer Scrogie, read passages from A Christmas Carol, and put on a Victorian Christmas playlist. The kids assembled “Mail Man” gifts — a punny nod to Scrogie the meal man — before heading out for Operation Christmas Child shopping with the Baha Men soundtrack adding a surprising amount of cheer to Scrooge’s otherwise gloomy opening acts.
Lunch kept one foot in the world of bitterness but took a step toward comfort. A charred cabbage and roasted root vegetable salad carried the sharper notes, but the arugula–blue cheese tartines on rye rounded everything out. Crunchy cornbread croutons tied lunch back to Scrogie’s corn-merchant roots. After naps, we loaded the car to drive north for the weekend and watched Mickey’s Christmas Carol, followed by reading real “Bah Humbug Awards” — a collection of famously cranky Christmas characters. A snack of sweet-salty trail mix served as another symbolic turning point: still rustic, but undeniably more joyful than the morning’s grits.
Evening marked Scrooge’s emotional pivot. Dinner featured rosemary lamb (“Baaaaah Humbug”) with a semi-sweet jam, plus rosemary–craisin cornbread muffins that finally nudged the day toward sweetness. A mint humbug candy landed on each plate, a tiny edible callback to Scrooge’s signature phrase.
After dinner came the laughter — the true sign of Scrooge’s transformation. We played a “Guess the Christmas Carol” humming game, read AI-generated “Reviews from Scrooge” of classic Christmas toys, and launched into Balderdash as well as a “Holiday Tradition or Humbug?” trivia challenge. But the clear highlight was convincing Grandpa to secretly dress up exactly like the Scrooge on the “Bah Humbug” mug we had gifted him. When he appeared in costume, scarf and scowl and all, the room erupted. It was exactly the kind of moment the reformed Scrooge himself would have cherished.
Dessert closed the loop on the day’s theme: Scrooge’s Redemption Pudding — stale bread brought back to life with warm spices, raisins, sugar, and heat, a perfect metaphor for Scrooge’s awakening. Drinks echoed the history: a Scroggie’s Cup mulled wine honoring the real Ebenezer Scrogie, and a Bah Humbug Highball blending sharp bitters with the mellow sweetness of holiday spice.
From bitter beginnings to a sweet, joy-filled conclusion, the whole day followed Scrooge’s emotional arc. What started in gloom and grits ended in pudding, laughter, and warmth — a full redemption story lived out hour by hour.
Activities
Ben’s Scrooge Nightgown
“A Christmas Carol” Book for Kids
Mail Man Gift Package
Baha Men Christmas Playlist
“Mickey’s Christmas Carol”
“Humbug” Awards
AI “Reviews From Scrooge”
Grandpa Dressed Up As Mug Scrooge
Christmas Balderdash
Holiday “Tradition Or Humbug?”
Menu
Breakfast: Bland Corn Grits, Bitter Tea, Unsweetened Corn Muffins
Lunch: Charred Radicchio & Roasted Root Vegetable Salad, Endive & Blue Cheese Tartine On Rye, Cornbread Croutons
Snack: Sweet-Salty Corn Trail Mix
Dinner: Herb-Roasted Lamb With Semi-Sweet Jam, Honey-Corn Muffins, Cratchit Corn Porridge
Dessert: Scrooge’s Redemption Pudding
Cocktails: Scroggie’s Cup (Mulled Wine), Bah Humbug Highball
