Upon first glance, it doesn't appear that a miser like Scrooge cares for one item, let alone ten. However, further exploration into A Christmas Carol reveals that while Scrooge might not specifically address the significance of specific items (or even be aware of their significance himself), there are a number of things that he does, indeed, hold dear.
A number of the significant items can be paired together, based on how Scrooge feels about them both before and after his transformation. The items are significant not for sentimental reasons but rather as symbols. For the sake of simplicity, I've grouped the items in their pairs below.
His money/the turkey (symbol for charity) - The most obvious item of importance to "before" Scrooge is his money. At the start of the story he is the quintessential miser. He has money, lots of it, and he doesn't want to share. Money is the reason for his respect of deceased partner Jacob Marley, an "excellent man of business" in Scrooge's mind, and money was the catalyst for his break up with Belle in his younger years. Money rules the world for Scrooge. However, after Scrooge's transformation, money is replaced with charity. Perhaps the best symbol of Scrooge's charity is the prize turkey from the Poulter's. Upon waking up Christmas morning, Scrooge is elated. He understands the true meaning of life. Upon finding out that it is Christmas day, Scrooge asks a young boy to go purchase the turkey on his behalf. He plans to send the great bird to the Cratchits, for them to enjoy on Christmas. His ability to even remember that the turkey was in the window of the shop reveals that he understood its importance, even before his change.
The sparse coal box/the warm fire in the counting house - One of the first things we learn is that Scrooge keeps his counting house very cold. He keeps the coal box by his desk, so Bob Cratchit cannot use any coal to warm up the office. The coal box represents Scrooge's tight-fistedness, a trait that he seems almost proud of. However, after his transformation, the coal box (and its contents) symbolize his newfound generosity as he commands "Make up the fires, and buy another coal-scuttle before you dot another i, Bob Cratchit!" The fire, the second item of this pair, represents the goodness and generosity that now burns within Scrooge.
His gruel/the bowl of smoking Bishop - Before meeting Marley's ghost, Scrooge is alone in his cold, dark chamber, eating his nightly gruel. Gruel is a thin, bland, mush with very little substance. It's a lot like "before" Scrooge. he is content to have his gruel; he wants nothing more. To Scrooge, flavor is worthless. After his transformation, though, Scrooge's change is further accented by his desire to share a Christmas bowl of smoking bishop with Bob. Smoking bishop is a type of mulled wine or punch. By nature, it is far more flavorful and exciting than gruel, and the importance Scrooge places on the drink reveals that he, too, is now much more flavorful and exciting.
The bell in Scrooge's room/the church bells - Throughout A Christmas Carol, bells symbolize warnings of varying types and degrees. The service bell in Scrooge's room is significant because it heralds Marley's arrival. Its sudden movement sparks tension in both Scrooge and the reader, and proves to be one of the most eerie scenes in the entire book. Scrooge's old flame, who ended their relationship when she realized he had chosen money over her was named Belle. And after Scrooge's transformation, he rejoices to hear the church bells. Just the night before the bell was "gruff" and shrouded by cloud. Now, in the clear of the morning, they are "glorious." Now that Scrooge has changed, the bells take on a different tone for both the character and the reader.
The clock in the counting house/the clock at night - Clocks are very significant to Scrooge. He makes Cratchit work to the very stroke of the hour. He expects Cratchit to come in on time, if not earlier. He very clearly ties production to the clock. Time is, indeed, money to Scrooge. However, clocks also function as a very important symbol in the story. Scrooge focuses on clocks throughout, both in regards to the work day and in anticipation of the spirits at night. Initially, the clock functions as a way for Scrooge to regulate his affairs and employee. At the end of the story the clock takes on a completely different meaning. As Scrooge's perspective shifts, so does the value of the clock to him. He will continue on as an excellent man of business, but he now understands the relative importance of the clock in the grand scheme of life. Scrooge takes Cratchit's after-Christmas tardiness as an opportunity to trick his employee. At first he feigns anger, but rather than chastise Cratchit for being late, he instead gives him a good-natured ribbing and promotes him. Here Scrooge shows that time is still important, but what displays his newfound understanding that what one does with it is far more significant.
While there are many other items of significance, including Scrooge's bed curtains and burial shirt—important because they help Scrooge to put his own materialism in perspective—the items above represent a number of binaries that Dickens creates to help the reader better understand the depth of Scrooge's transformation.
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