[Christmas is] 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 the really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle [Scrooge] 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!