This list of A Christmas Carol characters includes Ebenezer Scrooge, Fezziwig, the Cratchit family, Jacob Marley, Belle, Fred, three Christmas ghosts and more.

A Christmas Carol Characters

Updated July 12, 2024 – Originally Published May 2, 2020

A Christmas Carol, probably the most popular piece of fiction that Charles Dickens ever wrote, was published in 1843.

Dickens had this to say about A Christmas Carol, “I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.”

This list of A Christmas Carol characters is presented in alphabetical order.

Note: Includes spoilers!

Belle was engaged to Scrooge at one time. She broke off the engagement when she noticed a change in him.

Belle and Scrooge, Illustration by Arthur Rackham

“If you were free to-day, to-morrow, yesterday, can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl–you who, in your very confidence with her, weigh everything by Gain: or, choosing her, if for a moment you were false enough to your one guiding principle to do so, do I not know that your repentance and regret would surely follow? I do; and I release you. With a full heart, for the love of him you once were.” – Belle breaking off her engagement to Scrooge

Belinda Cratchit is Bob Cratchit’s second oldest daughter.

“Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit, Cratchit’s wife, dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons, which are cheap and make a goodly show for sixpence; and she laid the cloth, assisted by Belinda Cratchit, second of her daughters, also brave in ribbons.

Bob Cratchit is Scrooge’s employee and the father of Tiny Tim. Bob lives with his wife and six children in a four-room house.

Bob Cratchit coming home with Tiny Tim on his shoulder, Illustration by Frederick Simpson Coburn

Bob had but fifteen “Bob” a-week himself; he pocketed on Saturdays but fifteen copies of his Christian name; and yet the Ghost of Christmas Present blessed his four-roomed house!

Mrs. Cratchit is the wife of Bob Cratchit.

Mrs. Cratchit and the Christmas pudding, Illustration by Arthur Rackham

Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage. Mrs. Cratchit said that now the weight was off her mind, she would confess she had had her doubts about the quantity of flour. Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so. Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing.

Martha Cratchit is the eldest daughter of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit. She works as a milliner.

Peter Cratchit is the eldest son of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit.

Tiny Tim Cratchit is the son of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s employee. Tiny Tim is crippled.

Both the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come reveal that Tiny Tim’s illness is serious and he doesn’t have long to live.

“Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.” ~ Bob Cratchit talking about Tiny Tim

Mrs. Dilber is Scrooge’s laundress.

Fan was Scrooge’s younger sister and the mother of Fred.

“Always a delicate creature, whom a breath might have withered,” said the Ghost. “But she had a large heart!”

Mr. Fezziwig – When Scrooge was young he worked as Mr. Fizziwig’s apprentice.

Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, Illustration by John Leech

“He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” ~ Scrooge talking about Mr. Fezziwig

Fred is the nephew of Ebenezer Scrooge and the son of Scrooge’s sister, Fan.

At the beginning of the story, Fred invites his uncle over for Christmas. Scrooge wants nothing to do with the celebration. However, Fred defends Christmas:

“But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round — apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that — as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge scenes from Christmas in the past.

“The school is not quite deserted,” said the Ghost. “A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.”

Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge scenes of the current Christmas.

Ghost of Christmas Present, Illustration by John Leech

Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeke apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim with their delicious steam. In easy state upon this couch there sat a jolly Giant, glorious to see; who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty’s horn, and held it up, high up, to shed its light on Scrooge as he came peeping round the door.

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a frightening figure who shows Scrooge scenes from Christmas in the future.

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and Scrooge, Illustration by John Leech

“Ghost of the Future,” he exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?”

Jacob Marley was the business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge. He appears to Scrooge as a ghost and urges Scrooge to change his ways.

Scrooge and the ghost of Marley, Illustration by John Leech

“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

Old Joe deals in stolen goods. He appears in a scene shown to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

“Open that bundle, old Joe, and let me know the value of it. Speak out plain. I’m not afraid to be the first, nor afraid for them to see it. We knew pretty well that we were helping ourselves before we met here, I believe. It’s no sin. Open the bundle, Joe.”

Ebenezer Scrooge – No list of A Christmas Carol characters would be complete without Ebenezer Scrooge. He’s is the main character of the story. We watch as he transforms from a miser who’s only interest is money into a man who values Christmas and its lessons.

Ebenezer Scrooge, Illustration by Arthur Rackham

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.