He appeared out of nowhere, forcing the scroogey couple to stop their car at the intersection of Christmas Past and Yet to Come. A jolly giant of a fellow with dark brown curls, he wore a green fur-lined robe and on his head a holly wreath set with shimmering icicles.
What are you doing, the stressed-out driver exclaimed. We might’ve hit you!
But the old man just nodded and smiled.
Let me show you, he said, let me show you the way back to the spirit of the season…
Oh yes, the couple cried at once. Please, show us! (Their heads still swirling with shopping lists and other end-of-the-year obligations.)
With that, their guide gave a firm shake of his torch and steered them off the Taconic and onto a complicated succession of unknown country back roads.
And that’s when it began. The smiling… The caroling…
The glowing and mistletoeing…
There was stopping and gawking at beautifully decked halls…
And best of all, there was very, very little shopping…
Thank you Ghost of Christmas Present, and warm wishes to one and all!
Hope you’re finding your own way of keeping the holidays in perspective.
Smallpeace 
Marvelous! Every last photo, particularly the snow covered fields and the brightly lit Coke machine. But you never show us the photo of the jolly fellow at the intersection of Christmas Past and Yet-to-Come, the one who will point the way.
Do we have to find him for ourselves? We’ll try. You inspire us.
It’s strange, T2T. I took several photos of our jolly stranger, yet, try as I might, they would not download. Ah well, perhaps some images are meant to be preserved in memory alone.