Lilo & Stitch's Christmas Carol
Characters:
Ebenezer Scrooge – Dr. Jacques Von Hamsterviel
Ghost of Christmas Present – Jumba
Bob Cratchit – Gantu
Tiny Tim – Experiment 625
Chapter 4: The Ghost of Christmas Present
Scrooge woke up just as the clock struck one. He expected the next ghost to pull his curtains open like the last one did. He waited a few moments but nothing happened. He climbed out of bed and look about. There was no ghost in his room but there was a light in his living room. He went to the doorway of the room. It was his living room but it had drastically changed. Christmas decorations hung everywhere. Gargantuan piles of food filled the room. And on a throne made up of food was a giant of a man. "Ebenezer Scrooge, come here and look at me," said the giant. Scrooge obeyed. The giant was dressed in a large green robe that fitted him quite snugly because of the enormous body underneath it. It wore a crown made of holly leaves and icicles. It had an ancient scabbard attached to its belt but no sword was in it. It carried a burning torch shaped like a Horn of Plenty. "I am Ghost of Christmas Present," said the giant. "Don't tell me this lesson you're going to teach me is about giving presents to people," said Scrooge. "Not quite," said the Ghost. "Present I am talking about is mostly concerned with time." "What's with all this food?" asked Scrooge. "This is the Food of Generosity, which you have never tasted." "Generosity? Bah!" Inexplicably a large pie dropped on Scrooge's head. The Ghost chortled at this. "Where is your sword?" asked Scrooge once he got out from under the pie. "My brother broke sword many years ago in Roman time." "Have you many brothers?" asked Scrooge. "More than 1800 and still more to come, but you have met few of them." "Spirit," said Scrooge. "Last night I was pulled unwillingly through my lesson. This time I am not going to struggle." "Good," said the Ghost and picked up Scrooge in its hand. "Let us begin."
Instantly they found themselves on the busy street. People were hurrying about getting to their homes. They moved towards a poorer part of the city. They were people bringing home Christmas dinner. Some were warm because this is the day that the bakers let poor people warm their meals on their ovens. As people passed, the Ghost sprinkled some incense from his torch onto their food. "What are you doing?" asked Scrooge. "Adding more flavor," replied the Spirit. Two people bumped into each other and started arguing. The Ghost sprinkled incense on them and they stopped quarreling and wished each other a Merry Christmas. "What flavor is it that you're sprinkling?" asked Scrooge. "My own," said the Ghost. "Can this flavor be used on any meal?" asked Scrooge. "Yes, but to the poorer meals best because they are the ones that need it most."
The Ghost carried Scrooge to a lonely house. They went inside, invisible to the dwellers. The house was alive with hustle and bustle. A woman was tending to the dinner while her children played in the other room. Then the door opened and a man walked through. It was Bob Cratchit, for this was his home and family. On his shoulder he carried a child, smaller than the others and carried a little crutch. "How was Tiny Tim today in church?" asked Bob's wife. "As good as gold, in fact he said that he hoped people would see him," said Bob. "Why?" asked Mrs. Cratchit. "Because he wanted to remind people that The Lord makes blind men see and lame men walk." They soon sat down to dinner. It was a lovely dinner, but too small for such a large family. Bob proposed a toast to the Spirit of Christmas. Everyone joined in and Tiny Tim said, "God bless us, everyone." Then Bob said, "A toast to Mr. Scrooge, the founder of this feast." "The founder of this feast indeed," said Mrs. Cratchit. "If he was here, I'd give a piece of my mind to feast on. He's the reason we're living in poverty. I bet no one feels a bit of sympathy towards that greedy, selfish, cruel, mean old man." "But it's Christmas dear," said Bob. "And that's the only reason I'll toast him." Everyone joined the toast but no one sounded sincere. Scrooge heard all of this and flinched at the insults from Mrs. Cratchit. But he was mainly interested in Tiny Tim's ailment. "Spirit, will Tiny Tim live?" "That is for future to tell. But I can see a stool in the corner and a crutch without an owner. If shades are not changed, that is his fate. But so what? Shouldn't people like him die and decrease surplus population." Scrooge shuddered at the sound of his own words being thrown back at him.
They went on to other homes; homes of the poor, the sick, the handicapped, the orphaned. But everywhere they went, people became more cheerful in the Ghost of Christmas Present's presence. Then the Ghost returned to Scrooge's house. "Listen Scrooge, for my time on Earth is almost up. There are many evil spirits as they are good spirits. Beware them, but above all beware Ignorance and Greed. For they will bring doom to mankind unless mankind can change." Then the clock struck twelve and the Ghost vanished. Scrooge remembered Marley's words that the last ghost will appear on the last stroke of midnight.