"Marley was dead: to begin with. There was no doubt whatever about that. The register of burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

So begins Charles Dickens' Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol. But how did Dickens, a struggling writer with six children, come to write his classic tale? Such is the stuff of fairy tales and museum exhibitions. And the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City puts that question at the heart of their holiday program this year.

Check out my home blog, The Gypsy's Guide, for more information about the Morgan's special exhibition:

http://www.gypsysguide.com/2009/12/must-see-museums-christmas-carol-in-nyc.html

And don't forget to buy your raffle ticket for Passports with Purpose:

http://www.gypsysguide.com/2009/11/passports-with-purpose-win-two-nights.html

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