Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted miser, faces a night of supernatural reckoning that forces him to confront the consequences of his greed. Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, followed by three spirits representing Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come. His objective is to survive these harrowing visions and determine if he can alter his path before his inevitable end. The narrative utilizes a structured, episodic framework divided into nine staves, moving through time and space to expose the emotional and social voids in the protagonist's life. The world is grounded in the stark, industrial reality of 19th-century London, contrasted sharply by the ethereal, moralizing presence of the supernatural entities.

Readers and critics frequently highlight the effectiveness of the novella's atmospheric world-building in establishing the bleakness of Scrooge's initial state. Discussion often centers on the balance between the supernatural elements and the grounded social critique of Victorian poverty. The pacing is noted for its efficiency, moving rapidly through the three visitations to maximize the impact of the protagonist's transformation. Many analyses focus on the thematic threads of charity, social responsibility, and the possibility of personal change regardless of one's past actions.