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Past Christmas Visitation

By The_Lost_Voyage_11
(8 stories) (256 posts) (the author is a middle age adult)
Date: 2023-01-21
Country: United States
State: New York
Paranormal Category: Apparitions / Voices / Touches

This story is a short one from my past. A personal encounter that has stuck with me throughout the years and I recently talked about during my last Christmas trip to see my family. It's amazing what comes up when we sit around and talk about the past, with my family, inevitably ghost stories always turn up!

I was around 10-11 when this happened in my childhood home. My bedroom was at the end of a hall and at the time, my bed was positioned in such a way where I could look down the length of the hall to the stairwell. From this vantage point on the right (from the bed) was my parent's room. The next door down was my brothers and only a few feet down was the stairs. The only rooms on the left were a spare (junk) room and the bathroom which was directly across from the stairs. I could see all this from my bed. It was just the 4 of us living in the house. There was a window at the end of the hall near the stairs that allowed some light into the hall at night.

Now my dad never got up during the night at all, when he went to bed, he didn't emerge from the bedroom until he got up for the day. My mom on the other hand got up to use the bathroom several times at night, but her routine was always the same. She would leave the door to the bedroom open while she was up and they always had a fan running at night, and you could hear it well when the door was open, and not so much when it was closed. My brother didn't have a door at the time as such, but a curtain strung across his door to close his room off. I always left my door open at night.

Now that I've described the set up, this event happened in December. One winter night, I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. Everyone was in bed. I glanced down the hall towards my brother's room and saw something strange. There were a few shadows in the hall but there seemed to be cluster near my brother's door. There was light from the window, reflected from the snow and streetlights. I had been to bed for some time and though I hadn't yet fallen asleep, my eyes were adjusted to the dark.

As I stared, the shadows seemed to resolve into a figure standing at my brother's door. I don't know if they became a figure or as I stared I just realized a figure was there. Either way as I continued watching, it looked like a man, looking into my brother's room. 'He' seemed to have a hand on either side of the door post to support himself as he leaned his head into the doorway, apparently watching my brother. 'He' was looking past the curtain.

I couldn't believe I was seeing this. My parent's door was closed, I didn't hear the fan, so they weren't up and this figure seemed taller than anyone in my family anyways. I knew my brother was asleep in his room and besides this man or whatever was much bigger than my younger brother anyways.

I don't know if 'he' realized I was watching him or not. I had difficulty accepting what was happening, yet at the same time, felt no fear. I didn't try to hide, I just observed 'him', fascinated. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but the figure straightened up and pulled his head out of the curtain/doorway. 'He' then sidestepped to the stairs, staying close to the wall. It was only a few feet but the stairwell was engulfed in shadow, so 'he' seemed to either dissolve or melt into the shadows and I could no longer see 'him'. The hall seemed to be empty again and as I started trying to sort out what happened, the top stair creaked. For anyone who lives in a home with steps that creak, after awhile, you can tell, which step it is from the sound and whether it's just the house settling or someone putting their weight on it! That's the moment it became all too real for me!

I know I said something the next morning to my mom about it. She simply told me it was probably Santa Claus checking on us to be sure we were being good, since Christmas was right around the corner. I'm pretty sure what I saw wasn't good ole Saint Nick!

I've puzzled about it over the years. I know at times being alone and downstairs, I've heard noises that sounded like someone was upstairs, but that could've been my imagination. My mom mentioned to me when I was older, that the stairs sometimes gave her the creeps, and at times when she used to the bathroom, she felt as if she was being watched (since it was right across from the stairs). The house has been almost completely renovated over the years and those feelings are long since gone.

As a footnote, when I stay with my parent's now, I sleep in my brother's old room (which now has a door) and have never felt even slightly uncomfortable in there.

The only conclusion I've come to is that it was a relative who passed or perhaps a guide or angel that was checking up on my brother. It wasn't scary, just puzzling. I don't believe from their behavior they expected to be spotted and appeared to try and be inconspicuous.

Either way I thought I would share!

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aussiedaz (19 stories) (1566 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-13)

Also, speaking of uncanny, I have two dates on my birth certificate. The day I was born and the date of the day I left the hospital. My first granddaughter was born on my birthday, my second granddaughter was born on the day/month of the day I left the hospital. My son is the vice president of Morgan Stanley and is excellent with numbers. He told me the chances of having two granddaughters born on the two dates on my birth certificate are like 5 billion to 1 or something like that.

aussiedaz (19 stories) (1566 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-13)

What you are speculating about is so interesting Lost Voyage, because, between 2014 and 2018, my three granddaughters were born. I'm not sure if I have shared this here before (probably not) around 2012/13 my mother came to me in a dream and told me I was going to be a grandfather soon.

My eldest child was 20 years old, single and basically starting out her career as a school teacher. The visit from my mother and what she said was really not looking real in the sense of timing and what would be most likely. Yet, my daughter was married months later and pregnant with our first grandchild.

All of our three grandchildren stayed with us at the Sydney address at some time or another... On this one account, I showed my middle granddaughter a picture of my mother's wedding photo and she pointed to my mother which I found uncanny myself. Fluke? Maybe.

My mother was one of three sisters and here I am with three granddaughters. Two of my granddaughters are typical young confident children but my middle grandchild is the one who is most likely the newer soul. She is so passive and reserved. I'm always saying to my wife how concerned I am about her nature and how we will need to keep an eye on her as she grows up.

She does fit into the 2015 timeframe and when I saw this faceless dark shadow down my driveway. Did my mother bring her to our home? I have no doubt from the spiritual realm they can look ahead of time, I believe my mother's visit is at least proof to me they can.

Regards Daz

The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-13)

Wow, aussiedaz, the similarities between our separate encounters are uncanny! Something or someone apparently observing and then trying to make a hasty exit upon their discovery. I was so sure what I saw was a male, but now after reviewing your posts and my memory, I'm not so sure. Perhaps my mind was trying to conceptualize what I was seeing and the impression was of a male, but who knows, the shape and features were indistinct.

I will share this, when I thought about what you said about a new soul 'checking things out' as it were and it occurred to me it could be a member of my family yet to be, the thought of my niece is what popped into my mind. The fact that she could be checking out her 'future' father and that a gender hadn't yet been selected and time and space don't apply to those in the spiritual realm, came to mind.

What drives it home further for me and why I wanted to sit with it, is because shortly after she was born I returned home for the holidays as was my custom and saw her for the first time. She acted differently towards me than anyone else, babbling, smiling and cooing, reaching for me, like someone who's happy to see someone they're fond of after a long absence. Everyone noticed it and though I admit I was amazed, I didn't give it much thought at the time. My mom stated that we must have had a past life together and that she recognized me, since that's what her reaction indicated.

Now I'm wondering if she wasn't actually remembering her 'visit' from all those years prior and because I actually saw her first, and that's what she was actually responding to?

Curiouser and curiouser! Stay well my friend!

aussiedaz (19 stories) (1566 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-12)

Hello TLV, You have given me something to think about and I'll share this account here with you and anyone else following this thread. In 2015, I was living in Sydney, up around 5 am ready for work on my way out the door around 5.45 am. It was still dark outside, although parallel to my driveway (of around 40 feet) was a public walkway lit up with street lights enough to enable me to see clearly down the length of my driveway.

I lived in a battleaxe and as I came to the leg corner of my driveway/home, at the bottom of it and outside a 4 ft colour bond fence, stood a very dark figure, that had no identity period other than the fact it was in human form roughly 6 ft tall.

At that point, it picked on me and I picked up on it. This faceless, non-physical form ducked down under the height of my fence so you can imagine what was going on in my mind wondering if it was an intruder etc, with my wife left inside the home with my youngest child... (you know that old saying fight or flight?) I charged down my driveway, it took perhaps 5 seconds to reach the gate, to find it gone. Nowhere to go in that short time, I even opened the gate and looked left and right/ up the walkway just in case and it was gone.

At that point, I knew it was paranormal, but what I have never considered is the thought it may have been one of these new souls perhaps visiting my residence and perhaps a future relative somewhere along the line. That rabbit hole gets deeper.

Anyway, you have given me something to ponder.

Cheers mate.

The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-11)

Hello aussiedaz, what an intriguing idea, regarding a spirit sort of scoping out what being in a physical form would be like! I knew you would add an interesting aspect to my encounter that I hadn't considered. It's possible that if this was the case, it could be a spirit that would be part of our family too! That in an of itself brings up an interesting idea to who it might have been, although it would be some time before it would happen. I can elaborate after the idea's percolated a bit!

I also wanted to mention that I understood and agree with your explanation on the other thread regarding the 6 second delay between conscious intention/choice and it showing up in reality. It makes sense on so many levels that a choice or intention would have to be made before and in order for reality to move in a particular direction. I mean if you look deeper into the whole law of attraction, (which takes longer to manifest) it still works that way, an idea takes form from formlessness. Vibration also plays into that area as well. Perhaps being aligned with 'real time' as you suggested was merely a shift in vibration, if that makes sense? Definitely got me thinking, but I thought it would be better to mention it here than to commandeer any more of the other posters thread on it. It also would make an interesting conversation regarding the multiverse and all of our choice points in life already existing, but what unfolds is merely our consciousness traveling along that path as different choices are made. This parlays into what we've discussed about the Mandela effect and what any consider 'the road not taken' in life.

As far as my 'visitor' on that pre-Christmas visitation, the only thing that was different, was that I hadn't yet slept or was tired when I saw it, so I would think the REM type state wouldn't apply, yet I did see it.

What I can offer is that when I was young, my mom had mentioned that I used to complain about seeing things in the dark quite frequently. So much so that I started insisting on the hall light being left on and nightlights when that couldn't be maintained (after my parents went to bed). She wouldn't or couldn't elaborate on what I claimed to see in the dark, and I honestly can't remember? I do remember waking up to a drum beat one night that was loud with no physical explanation (it sounded like it was right in my ears) Perhaps in those earlier years I woke up and maintained semi REM sleep and was able to see those entities and sort of became accustomed to turning that ability on and off. Then when this incident occurred later, I had sort of honed that ability?

I know my ability to see spirits directly (other than corner of my eye stuff) was switched off years ago due to the events on North Street I relayed in earlier posts. My brother told me that I encountered the main ghost in that house the same night he saw the other one. I remember that night but not the encounter. For years afterwards (before I found out) I had dreams about that house and what lurked within. Apparently I blocked it out consciously but it was still resident in my subconscious memory. Such are the workings of trauma, if the mind thinks something is so bad that it completely blocks the memory, then it's not surprising that I 'lost' my ability to see spirits/entities at that time.

Anyways, hopefully that adds some context to my experience, but what you said all makes sense, as always my friend, I truly appreciate your valuable insight as it takes the mystery further while providing perspective to it all!

The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-11)

Hello Sleeping-with-steve, thanks for commenting. Yes this experience was just fascinating to me, but not scary, although it seems like it could have been. I believe whatever this entity was, it didn't have dark intentions, so it gave off no ill vibes and that's why I wasn't afraid of it. On that same note, though, I don't believe it meant itself to be seen.

I don't believe it was a recent family member if one at all. I don't recall any recent deaths in the family at that time. I couldn't see it well enough to discern any details other than it appeared to be a man, and that was more a sense than anything else. Good to hear from you!

aussiedaz (19 stories) (1566 posts)

2 years ago (2023-02-09)

Hello The_Lost_Voyage, I think you have connected the dots with the step creaking around the time this shadow seemed to be on the move as it dissolved. So I think we can rule out your imagination.

It may have been a guide or guardian, the other possibility?

According to Micheal Newton's work sprinkled with 2 cents worth of my own thoughts... We are born as a soul in the spiritual realm (and no, it doesn't take two to tango over there) through a process where universal consciousness gives birth to the units of the new entity it creates." How many times do you hear people say, you're an old soul"? Then there have to be new souls right? Anyway, as a very new soul, we do visit the earth realm on what I would guess is a tour of the physical in preparation for an incarnation.

Here's the hook. Because we have never lived a life on earth before, we have no physical appearance for those to see if their third eye is active enough to see through the veil.

I would say being a young lad, woken in a semi-sleep state, your brain wave pattern was in a rem state position for an extensive amount of time to see these new souls in shadow form. Some folk only experience the rem state for a few seconds, others can experience it for minutes, and mediums can switch it on at will.

Does that make any sense?

Sleeping-with-steve (guest)

2 years ago (2023-02-08)

Hello The_Lost_Voyage_11,

I was a bit scared reading the first part of your post. It was only towards the end when you explained, 'it wasn't scary, just puzzling', I relaxed a bit.

I enjoyed reading this post and will try and read some more of your posts gradually.

Did you ever find out if it was a family member who had recently passed?

Best wishes,

The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)

2 years ago (2023-01-28)

Hello Rajine, yes, you could be right, it could have been a previous owner. My parents have owned it since 1976, so nearly 50 years. At the time of this story, it would have only been 8-9 years after they purchased it.

I believe my mom mentioned some information on the people they bought it from, but I would have to have her refresh my mind. Nothing bad having happened there was ever reported and it always had a good vibe to the place.

One curious fact I will mention, is I saw the floor plans for the place, (rough design) from an old historic survey report of some sort at the historic society and the upstairs design looked a little different. I believe there were stairs where my bedroom would come to be and there was some evidence of this in the dining room ceiling (which was right below my bedroom) I'm not sure how old the house actually is, but I believe the plans I were looking at were from the 1920's I will try to look at that book again when I go back this year.

The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)

2 years ago (2023-01-28)

Hello Pelatiah, my brother doesn't say much about his room. I will mention that he had one doozy of a nightmare in there one night that drove him from his room and he would sometimes rock in his sleep.

There was also his curious habit of talking in his sleep. It was like he was actually having a conversation with someone. I usually would move past his room quickly at night if I had to use the bathroom because of this. For some reason I had an eerie feeling, like I was hearing something I shouldn't or intruding on a private conversation, if that makes any sense?

He outgrew all of this you could say, and as far as I know, these 'activities' were confined to his room as a youth.

My family usually does like to indulge in ghost stories, there are many who believe and others who don't. What's fun is every time they're brought up, I usually hear a new one, or more information than I heard before on something already talked about. It's always a blast!

Rajine (14 stories) (899 posts)

2 years ago (2023-01-24)

Hi The_Lost_Voyage_11

Your parents house, were there any previous owners?, assuming that they were, it could also be a previous owner, correct me if I am wrong.

Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)

2 years ago (2023-01-23)

Oh wow, Lost Voyage, I just submitted something before reading this & am chuckling at the similarities. My thing happened just last night. But I'm super interested to see that you include angels in your possibilities list.

I'm not sure how you didn't scream for your mom!

What are your brother's memories, if any, of his room? Curious. Also, you're fortunate that your family will talk about it with you. Mine usually tease me, although my husband is ok to tell sometimes. As a skeptic, he sometimes isn't sure what to think of my "stuff." haha.

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