Just as they’d planned, Gabby and her family took the drive to Merrywood Falls on Christmas morning to visit their friends there. But as they stood at the very spot where they parked their car last year on Main Street, they were left speechless.

There was no town. No people. No Emily Frost to greet them, no Christmas tree, no quaint shops. Nothing but open land and trees stood before them.

“How can this be?” Mom asked. “There’s not even a road anymore.”

“Emily did say that if we didn’t need them we wouldn’t find them,” Dad mused.

Mom blew out a deep breath. “I thought she was kidding! Never did I think she meant the town wouldn’t actually be here!”

It was true, though, thought Gabby. Her family didn’t need them anymore. Even a year later, Gabby could hardly believe how the cracks in their family had mended. Her dad worked normal hours, and their family time together had increased tenfold. They ate dinner every night together and had game nights twice a week, with a movie night every Sunday.

They were a family again, and she loved every second of their time together.

“This place really was magical,” Gabby said quietly. “And maybe it really was built on Christmas spirit.”

Dad put his arm around her shoulders. “We did see a lot of pretty amazing things, didn’t we?”

“Look!” Noah cried suddenly. “Up the hill!”

Just outside the tree line stood two deer and a penguin looking down at them. Two white doves were perched on the antlers of one of the deer.

“I think we’ve known this place was magic from the start. Maybe we just needed to see it — or rather, not see it — to believe it,” Gabby said, smiling at the animals.

“Very wise words, Peanut.” Dad ruffled her hair and smiled at his wife.

“Home?” He held out his hand.

“Home,” Mom answered, taking his hand and starting for the car. “C’mon kids.”

Noah gave the animals a wave, and the penguin lifted its flipper. When Gabby glanced behind them as they drove away, the animals were gone.

As they approached the turnoff that would lead them back to a main road, they came upon an SUV parked off to the side.

Dad came to a stop beside them and rolled down his window, as did Gabby behind him.

“You folks all right? Broken down?”

In the front seats were a man and woman, with three boys about Noah’s age in the back. Triplets, Gabby realized.

“No, we’re fine,” the man answered. “Just a little lost. We got this gift delivered this morning and, well, I won’t explain the whole thing but we’re looking for a place called Merrywood Falls. But I can’t find it on my map, and I think I took a wrong turn.”

Gabby’s mom gasped, eyes wide with surprise. But her dad just chuckled. He met Gabby’s eyes in the rear view and they smiled at each other.

“You’re not far. Just keep heading this way, and you’ll pass a billboard. The town is at the bottom of the hills nestled in the valley. It’s a wonderful place. I hope it brings you folks a magical Christmas.”

The man’s wife looked nervous. “So it will be easy to find?”

“Yes,” Dad nodded.

“It will find you,” Gabby said.

“Hug the penguins!” Noah added.

They watched the family drive off before continuing on their way.

“Well, even if we didn’t find Merrywood Falls, we at least learned something from all this,” Mom said.

“Yeah, that Christmas magic is real!” Noah said excitedly. “And Christmas spirit comes from Merrywood Falls!”

“Christmas spirit isn’t from a place,” Gabby said. “It’s something we believe even if we can’t see it, because we can feel it…here.” She touched her heart.

“We needed to be reminded of that, me most of all,” Dad said. “And Merrywood Falls was there to help us find it again. And now, we’ll make sure that we never lose that spirit again.”

“So what are we gonna do next Christmas?” Noah asked.

“I don’t think it really matters,” Gabby said, smiling contentedly. “As long as we’re together, it’s going to be perfect.”

May the season of hope and love shine in you. And may your friends and family be there to share in the magic of what can only be found in the Christmas spirit that lives within each of us.