When I was born, my father was writing the libretto to an original musical version of A Christmas Carol, the novel by Charles Dickens. My childhood was filled with the tunes he wrote, songs other local Daltonians will recall: "Chains", "Seize the Day", "Someday Soon", "Shadows of the Past", "We Will Always Be Together in My Heart", "Now I Have a Life to Spend With You", and, especially, "Sing a Christmas Carol". This year, for the first time since I was five years old, I wasn't in the show, because I'm at school. It was amazing to get to watch the show. Sure, it was less scary than I remember, but it was just a moving and the music was just a beautiful.

There is something about this story, something magical beyond its supernatural elements. It isn't just the ghosts and the spirits, the time travel- none of the literal magic in the story. This story has always had a deep meaning to my father, and therefore to me and my sisters. Acting wise, myself, and many other children, have grown up in this show; one of my first roles in community theatre was as "the little girl who yells no" in the opening number. Myself and both of my sisters have gone from being ensemble children, to Cratchit kids, to leading roles.

However, beyond that, this story was one of the first I've ever remembered that touched my heart. I cry at it every time; the idea that there is a man, even a fictional one, with such contempt for humanity and kindness, broke my heart from an early age. I cried for hours at Scrooge's past experiences, felt deeply that he couldn't actually join in for the present, and was heartbroken when we think his future is so bleak.

This story taught me to love openly and richly all my life. 'Keep the Christmas spirit with you all year long' is something I try to do. Whilst I would love to celebrate Christmas every single day of the year, what this really means to me is that I will try to live with love every single day of my life.

If you would like an uplifting story that might inspire you for the rest of your days, I highly recommend this one.