Lynn and I were cozy in our condo on Christmas Eve, the scent of pine needles and cinnamon filling the air. We were sipping hot cocoa and watching a classic holiday movie when we heard a strange humming sound.

Before we could react, two tall, humanoid figures appeared in our living room. Their features were a riot of colors, and their large, almond-shaped eyes seemed to pierce right through us.

“Greetings, humans,” one said in a calm, synthesized voice. “We have come from a distant galaxy to observe your planet.”

Lynn and I exchanged a startled glance. This was no ordinary Christmas Eve.

The aliens introduced themselves as Zog and Xena. They explained that they were particularly interested in Earth’s traditions, especially the celebration of Christmas. With a gentle wave of their hands, they enveloped us in a shimmering energy field.

We floated above our condo the next moment, looking down at our apartment. Then, we were sucked into a glowing portal that opened up in the ceiling.

When our vision cleared, we found ourselves in a breathtakingly beautiful forest. Towering trees, their branches laden with shimmering ornaments, stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was filled with the sweet scent of pine and the soft glow of countless twinkling lights.

“Welcome to the Land of Christmas Trees,” Zog said, his voice filled with wonder. “This is a place of pure joy and magic.”

As we explored this enchanted realm, Lynn and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace and wonder. They posed for their archival photo library before they escorted us back to our home. Then, it came time for the memory wipes. Miraculously, mine didn’t take. To this day, Lynn tells me I’m crazy, but it was a Christmas Eve I would never forget. And she can’t explain the photo I stole from them.

About the artwork: I leaned heavily on AI imaging and text for this project. First, I used Photoshop’s Generative Fill to create the artwork for the background in the Land of Christmas Trees. I chose one of the images and loaded it into Luminar Neo as a background layer.

For the foreground, I selected a photo captured at Taino Bay in the Dominican Republic. We stopped to pose for a photo with some elaborately costumed locals. I used Luminar Neo’s subject selection tools to select the subject, inverted the selection, and overexposed the background to white. As with many complex backgrounds, there were some darker areas that I simply erased.

I then loaded the foreground image as a layer in Luminar Neo and used Neo’s background removal tool to make the white background transparent. Using some of the other tools in Neo, I repaired a few flaws in the costumes of the “aliens.” Finally, I exported the final composite for publication here.

About the story: I used Google’s Gemini AI to define the story’s parameters, then edited the story generated so that it would conform to my “stolen photo.”

Lynn and I wish those who celebrate Christmas a Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays to all who celebrate the holiday season that is upon us.

John Steiner