---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always thought of Christmas time…"
description: "\"“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the l..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg"
---

#  I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come…

![“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg)

> ““I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.””

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Christmas reveals humanity’s capacity for kindness, forgiveness, and shared mortality.

**In simple terms:** Holiday shows compassion.

Key Takeaway

Practice generosity.

Themes

kindness forgiveness shared humanity

Mood

warm hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- family gatherings
- charitable events
- community service
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

seasonal empathy social solidarity

Questions to Reflect On

- What can you give this season?
- How do you connect with others?

A Different Perspective

Modern secularism may dilute meaning.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Charitable Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charitable-time-2537805/) [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Christmas time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-time/) [Kind Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-forgiving-1914520/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-christmas-1343230/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas-time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-i-am-sure-i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round...as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-i-am-sure-that-i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, 'Christmas among the rest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-are-many-things-from-which-i-might-have-derived-good-by-which-i/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,' returned the nephew. 'Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-are-many-things-from-which-i-might-have-derived-good-by-which-i-2/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I have always thought of Christmas time... as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-as-a-good-time-a-kind/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/but-i-am-sure-i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has-2/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-as-a-good-time-a-kind-forgiving/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The thought of Christmas overwhelms him. He no longer looks forward to the holiday; he wants only to be on the other side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/the-thought-of-christmas-overwhelms-him-he-no-longer-looks-forward-to/)

[Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/)

> [“Before, if I thought Christmas, I would have remembered my past on Earth and would have succumbed to the aching sadness for a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/before-if-i-thought-christmas-i-would-have-remembered-my-past-on/)

[Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/)

> [Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused - in whose mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-time-that-man-must-be-a-misanthrope-indeed-in-whose-breast-2/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“And numerous indeed are the hearts to which Christmas brings a brief season of happiness and enjoyment. How many families, whose members have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/and-numerous-indeed-are-the-hearts-to-which-christmas-brings-a-brief/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused—in whose mind some pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-time-that-man-must-be-a-misanthrope-indeed-in-whose-breast/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Time was with most of us, when Christmas Day, encircling all our limited world like a magic ring, left nothing out for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/time-was-with-most-of-us-when-christmas-day-encircling-all-our/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Christmas is a time in which, of all times in the year, the memory of every remediable sorrow, wrong, and trouble in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-is-a-time-in-which-of-all-times-in-the-year-the-memory-of/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Out upon merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/out-upon-merry-christmas-what-s-christmas-time-to-you-but-a-time-for/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

## More by Charles Dickens

> [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

[Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

## More Christmas quotes

> [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/)

[Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/)

> [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/)

[Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/)

> [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/)

[Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/)

> [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/)

[Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/)

[Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Dickens"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has-come-round-as-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christmas"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has-come-round-as-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/charles-dickens-34_christmas-time_i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time_256498.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving…” — Charles Dickens",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charles Dickens",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I have always thought of Christmas...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has-come-round-as-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-always-thought-of-christmas-time-when-it-has-come-round-as-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
