Scrooge is portrayed a mean and greedy old man. He runs the local bank and works Bob Cratchit and his other workers mercilessly. On Christmas Eve, Bob and the others ask for Christmas Day off. After finally agreeing to, he is visited by his nephew, Fred. Fred asks his uncle if he would join him and his wife, Claire, for Christmas dinner. Scrooge denies the offer, and recites the lengendary phrase: "Bah, humbug". When Scrooge returns home, a ghostly apparition of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, appears to him. It explains that if Scrooge did not change his selfish ways, there would be dire consequences. Marley says that he will be visited by three ghosts that will teach him the true meanings of Christmas.