Bob Cratchit was the ill-treated employee of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. A Cratchit Family Christmas , which chronicles his family's story, opens with the carefully arranged funeral of Ebenezer Scrooge twenty years after his dramatic conversion. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, and the members of the Cratchit family speak at the service. With affection colored by respect, each recalls stories of the new Scrooge and his amazing change two decades ago on Christmas Eve. The story traces the lives of Bob; his wife, Alice; and his children, Peter, Martha, and Tim, to the point of Scrooge's conversion and beyond. The family's compassion toward others testifies to the impact of Scrooge's benevolence in their lives and, more importantly, the way his newfound wisdom guides them. But Scrooge's generosity and wisdom extend long beyond the years of his life. As the book closes, the family is gathered for Christmas, as is their custom each year. Tiny Tim, now grown into a man, leads them in words of farewell for those who have passed on and thankfulness for those who remain around the table.