He awakens moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a strange childlike ghost with a glowing head. The spirit escorts Scrooge on a trip back in time to the previous Christmases of the curmudgeon's early years. Invisible to those who watch, Scrooge revisits the school days of his childhood, his apprenticeship with a jolly merchant named Fezziwig, and his engagement to Belle, a woman who leaves Scrooge because his lust for money overshadows his ability to love another. Scrooge, deeply moved, sheds tears of regret before the ghost returns him to his bed.