Imagine a country corner, where several buildings of different sizes are outlined in lights and a large tree newly lit is surrounded by folks bundled in coats and scarves as protection against the crisp night air.

They are waiting for the arrival of a man dressed in red, especially the children, and then suddenly there he is, before their very eyes.

He is joined by Mrs. Claus, and now the children begin to encircle the couple.

Santa urges the children into a nearby building where he mounts a large sled just as you might imagine.

And he welcomes the children to climb up, and they do, two by two, as these moments are captured and stored forever on their parents’ phones.

Tonight, the sled is a place of whispered hopes and dreams, and the entire scene seems to be of a bygone era and not a December Saturday at the Weisenberg/Lowhill Historical Society’s, Grischtaag.

“The sled was my dad’s,” said a smiling Gloria Zimmerman, historical society president. “I used to put it in my living room and fill it with presents.”

Zimmerman wasn’t the only one to recall a time long gone.

Visitors like Pamela (Werley) Landis recalled the past as she stepped back in time.

“My uncle used to be here all the time,” said Landis as she reviewed the framed black and white photographs lining the shop walls at the historical society.

“That’s my great grandmother,” she said pointing to one of the photos, “and my great grandfather is over there.”

“I have a lot of history here,” she said. “My dad’s still alive and he was raised on a farm down the street.”

The more than century old building was a time capsule of sorts but with appeal to all the visitors.

The event included a Christmas cookie and soup sale.

Two large tables laden with baked goods occupied two rooms of Zimmerman’s Hotel.

“I had thirteen bakers,” said Nancy Handwerk, planning committee chair. “Normally we have a separate cookie sale but this year we decided to combine the tree lighting with the cookie sale.”

In a third room sat Mrs. Claus, reading stories to the children, their eyes as big as saucers, while the stories’ author, Kim Hicks looked on, ready to autograph any one of the books she had brought.

“I have one [book] that just came out this week,” Hicks said. “All my books are Christian based. The newest one is called ‘A Blessing in the Forest.’”

As if that wasn’t enough, the children could purchase toys and small items in the Little Shopper’s Village for just a single dollar or a bit more, as adults found books, cards, ornaments and more.

There were too many magical moments to count.