But few may know the historical background and significance of what has become a favorite holiday tale.

Dr. Tom Rookey, CEO of Shenango Campus of Penn State University, spoke to a 7th grade class at Hermitage Middle School on Thursday about the yarn's past.

"This story was the beginning of a cultural revolution that turned Christmas into a time of family and sharing," Rookey said. "Charles Dickens changed a piece of culture that is now the biggest holiday in the nation."