It's the end of December and professional miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Sir Michael Hordern) absolutely despises this time of the year. He thinks Christmas is all a humbug. He doesn't buy his nephew's talk of Christmas being a kind time, thinks it's absolute madness his servant Bob Cratchit (Clive Merrison) wants a day off and sends away collectors of donations for the poor penniless. It's also the time of the year in which his companion Jacob Marley (John Le Mesurier) died seven years ago. When he is all alone, he suddenly sees Marley again, in the door handle, in a tile, a bell suddenly rings. Humbug, thinks Scrooge. But then Marley really appears for him and tells him he should change his life. He warns Scrooge he will be haunted by three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past (Patricia Quinn), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Bernard Lee), and the Ghost of Christmas Future (Michael Mulcaster).