Misanthropic businessman Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to treat Christmas as different to any other day, much to Bob Cratchit's chagrin, as he is desperate to leave work and get home to his family on Christmas Eve. Scrooge's dead former business partner Jacob Marley begs for peace in his coffin. Having repented himself, the Spirits have news for him. He will linger in purgatory until Scrooge himself repents, something Marley knows he will never do.