The enchanting NPR holiday favorite is finally on CD.<br><Br> &quot;Old Marley was as dead as a doornail&quot;&#8212;and so, nearly, was Christmas itself when Charles Dickens published &quot;A Christmas Carol&quot; in 1843. Most traditions had been forgotten, and few if any employees got time off to celebrate. Dickens' story captured the imagination of a generation and transformed December 25 into a major holiday.<br> <br> For many National Public Radio listeners, it just wouldn't be Christmas without hearing Jonathan Winters perform &quot;A Christmas Carol.&quot; The master comedian brilliantly re-creates Dickens' cast of colorful characters: Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley's spirit, and the three Christmas ghosts, Past, Present, and Future. His distinctive and charming reading uses a special version of the story prepared by Dickens for his own performances. The liner notes are by Winters, who clearly revels in the story's language and message: &quot;Merry Christmas, every one!&quot;