Fezziwig is a man with a generous heart. Unlike Scrooge as the reader knows him, he positively adores Christmas, and loves celebrating it with a passion. When Christmas Eve arrives, he puts up the shutters, clears away the furniture, and gets the party started. Before long, Fezziwig's business premises are chock full of revelers. As well as Fezziwig's employees, such as the young Ebenezer Scrooge, there's also a fiddler, Fezziwig's wife and daughters, and all his domestic staff.

But this isn't just a celebration for Fezziwig and his immediate circle; neighbors are invited to come by and enjoy themselves too. These include a poor young boy; we're told he is suspected of not having enough board from his master. This would suggest that the boy is an apprentice who has not been receiving enough food from his master as part of his apprenticeship. Because he is so hungry, he rocks up at Fezziwig's Christmas party to get something to eat.

But the young boy is incredibly shy, probably as a result of his employer's neglect. He hides behind a young girl who also appears to have been abused. She has had her ears pulled by her mistress, clear evidence that she's been subjected to physical abuse.

Like a lot of young boys and girls in Dickens's day, Fezziwig's guests not only have to work for a living, they also have to endure poor treatment at the hands of their employers. That explains why they attend Fezziwig's Christmas party. At least there they know they'll be treated with kindness and consideration.