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Ella Parker loves Christmas, but this year feels different. It was the most difficult time in his life since his grandmother died earlier this year. The joy and warmth that usually filled the house seemed dimmed, and the holiday traditions felt empty without Gran’s laughter ringing throughout the halls.

While rummaging through her grandmother’s attic a few weeks before Christmas, Ella finds an old snow globe wrapped in tissue paper. He didn’t remember seeing it before, but its intricate design caught his attention. Inside was a small, perfect replica of a snowy town square with a tiny figure that looked strangely familiar. He held it up to the light, shook it gently, and watched the sparkling snow swirl around the small world inside.

That night, Ella fell asleep holding a snow globe to her chest, enjoying the happy memory of her grandmother’s smile. He dreamed of a small town, walking along snow-covered streets, under twinkling lights from building to building. As he walked past the cozy shops and cafes, he heard the faint sound of laughter and music, an old song that Gran used to hum. Attracted by the sound, he turned a corner and found himself facing a small bakery.

The bell above the door jingled as he entered, and a familiar voice greeted him from behind the counter. “Dear Ella! I missed you,” said her grandmother, looking just as Ella remembered, with her warm eyes and loving smile. In the dream, it seemed so natural that Gran would be there, alive and well, running this small bakery in a snowy town.

“Grandma!” Ella gasped, her eyes filled with tears. He reached out and felt the warmth of his grandmother’s hands as they held his.

“You found me,” Gran said, wiping the tears from Ella’s cheeks. “I know there is still a little magic in you, my sweet child”

They spent hours together, as they often did on Christmas Eve in previous years. They shared stories, laughed, and even baked cookies. “Remember, Ella,” her grandmother said, squeezing her hand as she slowly began to disappear, “the people we love never really leave us. They are always with us in every memory, in every kindness, in every joy we bring forward.”

Ella suddenly woke up holding a snowball. The memory of her dream was so clear that she could still smell the cinnamon and feel the warmth of her grandmother’s hands. It was strange, but somehow, he felt more at peace, as if a burden he didn’t realize had been lifted.

As Christmas approaches, Ella feels a new sense of purpose. She spent the next week decorating her house, hanging garlands and stringing lights with careful hands. She made gingerbread and sugar cookies, just like her grandmother taught her. Then, on Christmas Eve, he found himself staring at the snow globe once again.

For a moment, he wondered if the dream was real. He shook the globe gently, watching the snowflakes inside dance. The small figure in the bakery window looked even more familiar now, a woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile, waving as if she could see Ella.

That evening, Ella placed the snow globe on the table and sat quietly by the fire, wrapped in one of her grandmother’s old blankets. He felt her presence in the room as if his grandmother was sitting beside him, sharing the warmth of the fire. He then realizes that the magic of Christmas lies not in the decorations or presents, but rather in the love and memories we carry forward, a lesson Gran has been teaching him all along.

While he was asleep, the snow globe emitted a soft light. In the morning, Ella finds the globe still on the table, but something is different. Inside, her tiny figure now stands in the snow-covered town square, waving at the window of the bakery where her grandmother waits.

The miracle, he understood, was real, and always with him.