It was a week before Christmas and    couldn’t sleep. had been awakened by the sound of a clock chiming the hour. saw movement and froze as an apparition in a black robe melted through the wall and tripped unceremoniously right in front of . looked at the figure and demanded, “Who are you?”

“Oh, hi,” the ghost said, fumbling with the ball and chain around his leg. “Sorry, I’m still trying to get used to this thing. I’m the Ghost of Christmas Present,” the figure said.

“Christmas Present?” asked. “Uh, wasn’t it the ghost of Jacob Marley who wore the ball and chain? And shouldn’t you be wearing green instead of black? ”

“Darn!” the ghost said. “I’ve been trying to get this right, and, well, I’m new and I haven’t quite learned the ropes.” He looked sheepish. “In fact, I was hoping you could help me out. I’m supposed to show you your life, but, um,” he paused and looked at the floor. “I lost my notes. I don’t know anything about your life. Do you think, you know, you could tell me about it so I can look good for my boss?”

“Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Touch my robe,” the ghost said and as did so, they were transported to an earlier time in the year. They were invisible. “Well, what was happening here in ?” the ghost inquired.

“". The ghost whipped out a notebook and began scribbling. “Uh-huh, okay, got it. Next!” And suddenly they were at another point in the year. “What about this?” the ghost asked.

“.”

“Wow. That’s interesting,” the ghost said. “ Now we just have one more stop.” In a moment they were looking at a new scene. “How about this?”

“.”

“That sounds pretty interesting,” the ghost said, pulling absently at the chain around his leg. It clanked as he shifted his weight and moved slightly. Just then they heard the sound of a clock tolling the hour. The ghost grew nervous. “It’s time for me to go," he said quickly, "but I’ll be back tomorrow nigh. Just, uh, pretend you’ve never seen me, okay? If my boss knows I’ve been here, I’ll be in big trouble.”

opened mouth to agree, but the ghost faded as if he had never been there. looked around, wondering if had imagined it all. The night grew quiet, but from someone in the silence came a faint whisper of a small voice:

“God bless us every one!”

Sample Instant Christmas Letter

It was a week before Christmas and Eric couldn’t sleep. He had been awakened by the sound of a clock chiming the hour. He saw movement and froze as an apparition in a black robe melted through the wall and tripped unceremoniously right in front of he. Eric looked at the figure and demanded, “Who are you?”

“Oh, hi,” the ghost said, fumbling with the ball and chain around his leg. “Sorry, I’m still trying to get used to this thing. I’m the Ghost of Christmas Present,” the figure said.

“Christmas Present?” Eric asked. “Uh, wasn’t it the ghost of Jacob Marley who wore the ball and chain? And shouldn’t you be wearing green instead of black? ”

“Darn!” the ghost said. “I’ve been trying to get this right, and, well, I’m new and I haven’t quite learned the ropes.” He looked sheepish. “In fact, I was hoping you could help me out. I’m supposed to show you your life, but, um,” he paused and looked at the floor. “I lost my notes. I don’t know anything about your life. Do you think, you know, you could tell me about it so I can look good for my boss?”

“Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Touch my robe,” the ghost said and as Eric did so, they were transported to an earlier time in the year. They were invisible. “Well, what was happening here in June?” the ghost inquired.

“Ellen celebrated from high school this year. She's been accepted at UC Davis in California, where she's going to study biology and then decide whether she really wants to pursue a career in veterinary medicine,” Eric said, explaining. The ghost whipped out a notebook and began scribbling. “Uh-huh, okay, got it. Next!” And suddenly they were at another point in the year. “What about this?” the ghost asked.

“The whole family took a vacation in July. It's probably the last trip we'll take together, now that Ellen's going to be in California. So we took a week-long trip to the Grand Canyon. It was amazing. Barbara went crazy taking photos with her new digital camera. We came home with over 500 pictures! A week after we got home, Eric was offered a new job at a firm closer to home. He accepted and is now doing accounting for a large tax firm nearby.”

“Wow. That’s interesting,” the ghost said. “ Now we just have one more stop.” In a moment they were looking at a new scene. “How about this?”

“In September Eric and Barbara renewed their wedding vows in front of a small group of family and friends. It was a very emotional day as we looked back on 25 years of marriage. Ellen put together a photo slide show on the computer, which everyone enjoyed.”

“That sounds pretty interesting,” the ghost said, pulling absently at the chain around his leg. It clanked as he shifted his weight and moved slightly. Just then they heard the sound of a clock tolling the hour. The ghost grew nervous. “It’s time for me to go," he said quickly, "but I’ll be back tomorrow nigh. Just, uh, pretend you’ve never seen me, okay? If my boss knows I’ve been here, I’ll be in big trouble.”

Eric opened his mouth to agree, but the ghost faded as if he had never been there. Eric looked around, wondering if he had imagined it all. The night grew quiet, but from someone in the silence came a faint whisper of a small voice:

“God bless us every one!”

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