I'm not sure exactly, but it could be a family with parents and kids. They would be the ones having the drive - through Christmas experience.
It could be a group of friends. They decide to take a drive through the city during Christmas just for fun. Each friend might have their own personality and role in the story. One could be the joker, making everyone laugh during the drive, another could be the navigator, and they all contribute to the overall story as they experience the Christmas lights, the music, and the general festive atmosphere together while driving.
Perhaps there's a lonely traveler as the main character. He or she is driving through different places during Christmas, observing all the merrymaking around while being on their own journey, which could be both physically and metaphorically. There might also be friendly strangers they meet during the drive, like a kind old man who gives them directions and shares a bit of his own Christmas story.
Since I don't know the exact 'the long drive story', it's hard to say. But it could be a lone traveler as the main character.
The 'Drive Through Christmas Story' could be about a unique Christmas experience while driving. Maybe it's a story of a family's drive through a town decorated with Christmas lights, seeing all the festive scenes from the car, and feeling the Christmas spirit on the road.
One way is to read a simplified version of the Christmas story book while imagining the scenes as if you are driving past them. Start from the angel's visit to Mary, then move on to the journey to Bethlehem, and so on.
It could mean experiencing the Christmas story in a sort of journey - like driving through the events that make up the Christmas story. For example, starting from the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, then the birth of Jesus in the manger, and all the events that follow like the visit of the shepherds and the Magi. It might be a way of looking at the story as a sequence of events that one can metaphorically 'drive through' in terms of understanding.
Since I don't know the story well, I can't say for sure. But it could be a lone traveler, or a group of friends who go on the long drive together.
I don't know for sure since I'm not familiar with this specific short story. But they could be scientists who developed the Epstein drive, astronauts who use it for their space missions, or even some villains who want to steal or misuse the drive.
If the story is more about the relationship between the person and the car, then the main character could be just the owner - driver. However, if it's a story set in a particular context, such as a road trip, there might be other characters at the stops they make. For example, a mechanic who helps them when the car breaks down, or a local they meet at a diner during the trip.
The protagonist, a theater professional, is central to the 'Drive My Car' original story. He is haunted by the memory of his wife. The woman who becomes his car driver is a main character too. She brings new perspectives into his life. His wife, although deceased, is a crucial part of the story as her memory and the secrets related to her are what the protagonist is constantly grappling with throughout the narrative.
The main characters in the 'New Jersey Drive' true story are a group of young men involved in the car - stealing spree in New Jersey. They are products of their environment, facing poverty, lack of opportunities, and a sense of restlessness. Then there are the police detectives who are dedicated to stopping them. There may also be family members of these young men, who either support or try to steer them away from this dangerous path. Each character type represents different aspects of the community, with the young thieves showing the problems within, and the police and family members showing the forces trying to correct or control the situation.
In the 'New Jersey Drive' true story, the main characters are likely to be a group of young men. These characters are probably from a lower - income or troubled background in New Jersey. They see car theft as a way to break free from their dull or difficult lives. There could be a character who is more daring than the others, sort of like the instigator of the car - stealing sprees. And then there would be those who follow along, either because of friendship or the allure of easy money or just the excitement of driving fast cars that don't belong to them.