It's one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time, as well as one of the most adapted stories in the history of fiction. Of course, it's none other than Charles Dickens's immortal tale of generosity, redemption, and ghosts, A Christmas Carol. Ebeneezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors have been adapted and readapted for decades, and with no signs of slowing down.
Everyone from George C. Scott to the Flintstones have all had their versions of Scrooge, but it's the spirits that truly sell the story. Be it past, present, or yet-to-come, which versions really make for the best holiday haunting?
10 Christmas Past: Jimmy Cricket
What better way to start out the list then with the version of A Christmas Carol that most audiences are introduced to first, Mickey's Christmas Carol. Instead of the typical ethereal or angelic version of the character, Disney employs the help of resident conscience, Jiminy Cricket.
While he might not be the most book accurate on the list, he certainly where's the title with pride. Even the new DuckTales reboot paid tribute to his interpretation.
9 Christmas Present: Jim Carey
From one Disney version to another, there are few versions of the Ghost of Christmas Present that are as infectiously lovable as Jim Carrey's. It takes a certain amount of skill to be able to portray all three spirits and Scrooge as well, but he truly shines with ghost number two.
His laugh is uproarious, his presence is palpable, and his lesson is personal and profound, essentially everything one would want from the character. Which makes it all the more difficult to see him fade.
8 Christmas Yet-To-Come: Muppet Version
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is essentially the same character all across the board, a dark hooded figure standing in the London fog.
However, Jim Henson's version, while obviously a puppet, forgoes the scary and sinister route for more of a strange and unusual character. Kid-friendly he might be, but there's definitely a foreboding element about him, even if he does kindly take Scrooge's arm into the future.
7 Christmas Past: Andy Serkis
Honestly, did anybody really ask for a dark and gritty reboot of A Christmas Carol? As strange as this adaptation was, there is one big reason to at least watch it once. And that's Andy Serkis as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Not only is he a twisted version of Father Christmas, but he's also there to show Scrooge the error of his ways by showing him the lives he destroyed in the process. "I'm here to show you all the evil that ya did..."
6 Christmas Present: Carol Kane
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Carol Kane in Scrooged as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Only instead of a Jolly Green Giant seen in other versions, Kane portrays a sadistic Sugar Plum Fairy with a mean right hook.
Frank Cross is most certainly a guy who deserves a swift punch to the face and a smack with a toaster oven, but it's Kane's gleeful performance that makes it all work perfectly.
5 Christmas Yet-To-Come: 1999 Version
Xenophobia is the term used to describe the fear of the unknown, but it could also refer to whatever the Dickens this thing is. Where most versions of Christmas Yet-To-Come often have a faceless phantom, this creep actually has a pair of yellow glowing eyes underneath his shadowy hood.
A shadowy figure is eerie on the best of days, but now viewers know there's actually someone or something underneath. Known or unknown, this thing is still somewhat unsettling.
4 Christmas Past: Joel Grey
Joe Grey's portrayal is perhaps the most book-accurate version of the character ever put to screen. Where most versions of the Ghost of Christmas Past feature a woman in a white gown, an angel-like figure, or just a person in some flowing garment, this version hits the nail right on the head.
True, Grey's Christmas past has the guardian angel motif, but there's also something alien or otherworldly about him. He's also one of the few versions that carry the silver cap from the book.
3 Christmas Present: Edward Woodward
If there was one definitive version of The Ghost of Christmas present, it's Edward Woodward's portrayal from 1985. It's like he stepped straight out of Charles Dickens's original manuscript.
His bright green vestments hangover his large forum, his laugh is deep and warm, and his countenances as joyful as Christmas morning itself. How could one not want to celebrate the season with this Jolly Giant?
2 Christmas Yet-To-Come: Jim Carey
Although Jim Carrey provided no voice work for this character, he did provide the motion capture. There are few versions of Christmas Yet to Come that are as creative or as terrifying as the one by Disney.
He is almost never seen in full view, normally as a shadow on the wall or as the driver of an infernal hearse. But when his ghostly face is finally seen at the end, it's nothing short of nightmare fuel.
1 Jacob Marley: Frank Finlay
Of course, there's no leaving out the ghost of Jacob Marley from the list. While there were many to choose from, including the likes of Goofy and Nicholas Cage, the prize has to go to Frank Finlay in the 1985 version.
He's captive-bound and double ironed, his eyes stare blankly at Scrooge, and he's just over-the-top enough to remain entertaining but haunting at the same time. Long story short, Finlay's version is what everyone should think of when they hear the name "Jacob Marley."
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