Scrooge , having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment , said , `` Bah ! '' again ; and followed it up with `` Humbug ! '' `` Do n't be cross , uncle ! '' said the nephew . -LSB- Illustration : `` A Merry Christmas , uncle ! God save you ! '' cried a cheerful voice . -RSB- `` What else can I be , '' returned the uncle , `` when I live in such a world of fools as this ? Merry Christmas ! 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 older , and not an hour richer ; a time for balancing your books , and having every item in 'em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you ? If I could work my will , '' said Scrooge indignantly , `` every idiot who goes about with ` Merry Christmas ' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding , and buried with a stake of holly through his heart . He should ! '' `` Uncle ! '' pleaded the nephew . `` Nephew ! '' returned the uncle sternly , `` keep Christmas in your own way , and let me keep it in mine . '' `` Keep it ! '' repeated Scrooge 's nephew . `` But you do n't keep it . ''
`` Let me leave it alone , then , '' said XXXXX .
Humbug Scrooge holly hour mine moment months pudding way year