A Christmas Carol

And now two smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that outside the baker's they had smelt the goose, and known it for their own; and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage and onion, these young Cratchits danced about the table...

Christmas Dinner

"...and back came Tiny Tim...escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; and while Bob...compounded some hot mixture in a jug with gin and lemons, and stirred it round and round and put it on the hob to simmer; Master Peter, and the two ubiquitous young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession."

Cooking the Christmas Goose

The homes of the poor were equipped with open fireplaces for heat and cooking but not with ovens. Thus many, like the Cratchits, took their Christmas goose or turkey to the baker's shop. Bakers were forbidden to open on Sundays and holidays but would open their shops on these days to the poor and bake their dinners for a small fee. Dickens tells of Master Peter Cratchit and the two younger Cratchits going to fetch their Christmas goose from the bakers.

Perdue, David. "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens Page. 20 Oct 2008. 23 Oct 2008 <http://charlesdickenspage.com/carol.html>.

Dickens' A Christmas Carol