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How quickly did A Christmas Carol become popular after publication?

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Portrait of Charles Dickens seated at a desk, writing with a quill pen, dressed in a suit with a bow tie. — Charles Dickens English novelist Charles Dickens working at his craft. Dickens published some of most beloved novels in English literature, including *A Christmas Carol*, *A Tale of Two Cities*, and *Great Expectations*.

A Christmas Carol was an immediate success upon its publication on December 19, 1843. The book's popularity was evident right away, as the entire first printing of 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve, just five days after its release.123

The story's rapid rise in popularity continued well into the following year, with the novel going through 12 additional printings within its first year of publication. Its cultural impact was further cemented by its quick adaptation for the stage, with at least eight dramatic productions appearing by February 1844.23