One of the most familiar and cherished Christmas stories has been around a long time — 170 years in fact. Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was published this week in 1843. Some sources say the publication was on this date. The first print run of 6,000 copies sold out in a week and the book has never been out of print. The tale about the reformation of Ebenezer Scrooge and his “Bah, humbug!” dismissal of the Christmas season became a solid holiday tradition over the years in the U.S. The story has been told on radio, on stage, in school programs, in the movies, and on television. It’s a safe bet that “A Christmas Carol” will be seen this holiday season on many of the nation’s 2,200 television stations. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov