One of the most familiar and cherished Christmas stories has been around a long time — 171 years in fact.

English author Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was first published in 1843.

The first print run of 6,000 copies sold out in a week and the book has never been out of print. The tale about the reformation of Ebenezer Scrooge and his "Bah, humbug!" dismissal of the Christmas season became a solid holiday tradition over the years in the United Kingdom, the U.S. and elsewhere.

The story has been told on radio, on stage, in school programs, in the movies and on television.

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