The book was written at a time when the few good men were trying to revive the joyous, hopeful celebration of Christmas in England. The festival had been reinstated in England as a holiday, but the spirit was missing.
The story is of a wealthy, cold miser who is visited by the ghost of his partner. The visit by the ghost and three more spirits, takes him back to his past which had a happy christmas, the present - where his goodwill is required, and the foreboding future - which is dismal if he would continue living the way he does.
It is not a very big book, and starts with the description of the dreary life of Mr. Scrooge. But the spirit of the book is the spirit of Christmas - of thanksgiving, family time, celebration, joy of giving, the time to be happy.
Unlike many other Dickens books, this has a happy call throughout - good book.