Seasons' Greetings!  I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.  I hope even more that everyone can relax and contemplate the true meaning of the Holidays.  It's a special time for families to enjoy and appreciate what we have.  It's also a time to give what we can to others less fortunate than ourselves. 

So, related to the theme of self-reflection, my favorite Christmas film is Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." I love this story because it's a ghost story with a moral.  Its message is profound.

There are so many versions featuring outstanding actors such as Alistair Simm, George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, and even Jim Carrey. Usually, I'm a traditionalist.  However, in this particular case, my favorite version of A Christmas Carol is Richard William's 1971 animated pen-and-ink drawing version. 

There are many reasons why I like this version:

1. It's short! It's only 25 minutes and captures the essence of Dickens' book quite well.
2. It features my favorite Christmas Carol, "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen."
3. Allistair Simm's rendition of Ebenezer Scrooge is unmatched!
4. The pen and ink artistic drawing style is extremely unique. Even though the YouTube-copied versions are not HD quality, you can still appreciate the artistic beauty of the drawings.