The Ghost of Christmas Present

The Ghost of Christmas Present with Ebenezer Scrooge.

“	Come and know me better, Man!	”
— The Ghost, making Scrooge an offer on several levels

The Ghost of Christmas Present is a character from A Christmas Carol, one of the best-known works of the English novelist Charles Dickens. He closely resembles Father Christmas from local folklore.

Role in the story

The Ghost of Christmas Present is the second of the three spirits (after the visitation by Jacob Marley) that haunted the miser Ebenezer Scrooge in order to prompt him to repent. According to Dickens' novel, the spirit appears to Scrooge as "a jolly giant" with dark brown curls. He wears a fur-lined green robe and on his head a holly wreath set with shining icicles. He carries a large torch, made to resemble a cornucopia, and appears accompanied by a great feast. He states that he has had "more than eighteen hundred" brothers (in fact eighteen hundred and forty two) and later reveals the ability to change his size to fit into any space. He also has a scabbard with no sword in it, a representation of peace on Earth.

The spirit transports Scrooge around the city, showing him scenes of festivity and also deprivation that were happening as they watched, sprinkling a little warmth from his torch as he travels. Amongst the visits are Scrooge's nephew, Fred and the family of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. The spirit also shares a vision of Tiny Tim's crutch, carefully preserved by the fireplace. Scrooge asks if Tim will die. The spirit first states that "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die" (i.e., Tim's illness is not inherently fatal, but the Cratchits lack the funds for Tim to receive proper treatment, courtesy of Scrooge's miserliness), then – quick to use Scrooge's past unkind comments toward two charitable solicitors against him – suggests he "had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." Scrooge is disgusted at his own words and is concerned for Tiny Tim and his family.

The spirit finally reveals to Scrooge two emaciated children, subhuman in appearance and loathsome to behold, clinging to his robes, and names the boy as Ignorance and the girl as Want. The spirit warns Scrooge, "Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.", underscoring the book's social message. The spirit once again quotes Scrooge, who asks if the grotesque children have "no refuge, no resource," and the spirit retorts with Scrooge's same words, "Are there no prisons, no workhouses?", filling Scrooge with self-loathing.

The spirit, having already aged, reveals that he will only exist on Earth for a single year's Christmas holiday. (As the nature of the present is to only exist in the now, this is why this ghost can only exist for one Christmas, and why he has 1842 brothers. Given the year that the story was published, this would make him the 1843rd Ghost of Christmas Present.) He finally disappears at the stroke of midnight on Twelfth Night, leaving Scrooge to face the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Portrayals

Picture	Performer	Production	Year	Notes
	Lionel Braham	A Christmas Carol	1938
	Francis de Wolff	Scrooge	1951
	Voiced by Les Tremayne	Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol	1962	In this adaptation, the spirit appears before the Ghost of Christmas Past.
	Voiced by Bruce Montague	Famous Classic Tales: A Christmas Carol	1969
	Kenneth More	Scrooge	1970
	Voiced by Paul Frees	The Stingiest Man in Town	1978
	Voiced by Bill Conn	A Christmas Carol	1982
	Willie Fadiddlehoffer (voiced by Will Ryan)	Mickey's Christmas Carol	1983
	Edward Woodward	A Christmas Carol	1984	The spirit greatly resembles the illustrations in the Dickens version.
	Voiced by Chuck McCann	The Jetsons: "A Jetsons Christmas Carol"	1985	The spirit is represented as a robotic Christmas present.
	Voiced by Maurice LaMarche	The Real Ghostbusters: "Xmas Marks the Spot"	1986
	Robbie Coltrane	Blackadder's Christmas Carol	1988	Ebenezer Blackadder is visited by "The Spirit of Christmas", who bears a close resemblance to the Ghost of Christmas Present of Dickens' story.
	Carol Kane	Scrooged	1988	The spirit is a shrill woman-like fairy.
	Theodore Seville (voiced by Janice Karman)	Alvin and the Chipmunks: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll"	1989
	Mr. Smee (voiced by Ed Gilbert)	Peter Pan and the Pirates: "Hook's Christmas"	1990
	Jerry Nelson	The Muppet Christmas Carol	1992	The Muppet portraying the spirit greatly resembles Dickens' version; however, the vile forms of Ignorance and Want are absent, most likely to make the film more suitable for children.
	Dot Warner (voiced by Tress MacNeille)	Animaniacs: "A Christmas Plotz"	1993
	Marlon the Penguin (voiced by Mike McShane)	Avenger Penguins: "A Christmas Carol"	1994
	Ernie (voiced by Brian Cummings)	A Flintstones' Christmas Carol	1994
	Rolly (voiced by Kath Soucie)	101 Dalmatians: "A Christmas Cruella"	1997
	Whoopi Goldberg	A Christmas Carol	1997
	David Van Driessen (voiced by Mike Judge)	A Beavis and Butt-head Christmas	1995	David Van Driessen plays the role of the Spirit of Christmas Present and appears while Beavis is trying to watch a Christmas Carol style porno.
	Sasha (voiced by Sheena Easton)	An All Dogs Christmas Carol	1998
	Desmond Barrit	A Christmas Carol	1999	The spirit greatly resembles the illustrations in the Dickens version.
	Zelda Spellman (voiced by Melissa Joan Hart)	Sabrina: The Animated Series: "Witchmas Carole"	1999
	Socrates (voiced by Michael Donovan)	Adventures from the Book of Virtues: "A Christmas Carol"	2000
	John Taylor	A Diva's Christmas Carol	2000
	Michael Gambon	Christmas Carol: The Movie	2001
	William Shatner	A Carol Christmas	2003	Shatner, who played a fictional TV host named Dr. Bob, also appears to Carol Cartman as the spirit, who has an annoying habit of speaking in cliches.
	Jesse L. Martin	A Christmas Carol: The Musical	2004	The Ghost first appears in the real world as a sandwich board man.
	Bloo (voiced by Keith Ferguson)	Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: "A Lost Claus"	2005	Bloo poses as the ghost of 'A' Christmas Present (a moving and talking red gift with a green ribbon) and tells Mr. Herriman has been a cheapskate for far too long and should buy more gifts, calling it the 'true meaning of Christmas'.
	Wyatt Williams	6teen: "In a Retail Wonderland..."	2005
	Yosemite Sam (voiced by Maurice LaMarche)	Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas	2006
		A Christmas Mikey	2006
	Keith Wickham	A Christmas Carol	2006
	Voiced by Kathleen Barr	Barbie in a Christmas Carol	2008
	Voiced by Jim Carrey	A Christmas Carol	2009	The spirit greatly resembles the version in the novel.
	David Tennant	The Catherine Tate Show: "Nan's Christmas Carol"	2009	This version of the spirit has a goth-like appearance and talks and acts flamboyantly.
	Brainy Smurf (voiced by Fred Armisen)	The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol	2011	Brainy dresses in a green robe with white fur trim and a holly wreath with candles for a crown, just like the one in the book. He even uses one of the candles to draw.
	Pear (voiced by Daneboe)	The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange: "Orange Carol"	2012
	Beto	La CQ: "Christmas in the CQ"	2012
	Phoebe Thunderman (portrayed by Kira Kosarin)	The Thundermans: "Winter Thunderland"	2014	The second ghost to appear as part of Max's dream, showing him what would happen if Nora opens her empty Secret Santa gift from him. She dresses in a present box and talks giddily.
	Paxton (voiced by Steven Kynman)	Thomas & Friends: "Diesel's Ghostly Christmas"	2015	Paxton has red and green lamps on him, speaks through pipes on a flatbed and hides behind a bridge. He even breaks the fourth wall: "Then I must be good at pretending!"
	Armand	Camp Lakebottom: "Smells Like the Holidays"	2016	Using a 'gassy' klaxon, the 'present' spirit comes to McGee as Armand (wearing a Santa Claus suit). He then shows McGee how Squirt is unable to join his friends in the fun while in the bubble, because of what he fears his gas can do to them.
	Pinkie Pie (voiced by Andrea Libman, singing voice by Shannon Chan-Kent)	My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: "A Hearth's Warming Tail"	2016	Pinkie Pie plays a character similar to the Ghost of Christmas Present, named the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Presents.
	Dr. Bugly	Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!: "Scroogey Doo"	2017	The ghost greets Velma in the streets and reveals to her the new Science and Reasons Symposium. He claims her mystery-solving will make her miss it. When she claims her friends wouldn't allow it, he shows them that their priorities aren't the same as hers. He also claims to have already visited Scrooge, confirmed when Scrooge mentions it to the gang. The ghost then claims that Velma's friends are holding her back from her true potential, then he reappears and chases the gang through Scrooge's house.
	Justin Edwards	The Man Who Invented Christmas	2017
	Bubbles (voiced by Kristen Li)	The Powerpuff Girls: "You're a Good Man, Mojo Jojo"	2017
	Squeeks (voiced by Kate McKinnon)	Nature Cat: "A Nature Carol"	2019
	Demi (voiced by Mitchell Whitfield)	Vampirina: "A Gargoyle Carol"	2019
	Lincoln Loud and Clyde McBride (voiced by Asher Bishop and Andre Robinson)	The Loud House: "A Flipmas Carol"	2020
	Will Ferrell	Spirited	2022
	Trevor Dion Nicholas	Scrooge: A Christmas Carol		The ghost's Father Christmas qualities are emphasized by him being joined by a group of elf-like fairies that serve as comic relief helpers. When the Ghost of Christmas Present's time runs out and he dies, he transforms into the Ghost of Christmas Future, with the fairies transforming into fiery imps.