We have the ornament tradition also. As you say, it is a chronicle of their lives. It is fun to see where they were at in any given year. Those are the only ornaments on our tree this year. The kids each have their own boxes, to make storage easier.

Before opening Christmas gifts in the morning, we all sit down together and read the story of the First Christmas, from the Bible.

Instead of pie, following a traditional Christmas dinner, we have birthday cake. Because Christmas is, after all, about the birth of Jesus.

Whatever the traditions of each family are, they make wonderful memories!

It allowed for some neat discussion later, about ongoing topics we had been talking about…like how it requires sacrifice and hard work to be part of a family. George Bailey really does embody these qualities, even in childhood and youth. And though it seemed that he suffered much loss and disappointment (which my girls can definitely relate to) he really did have a wonderful life.

Plus it allows for the girls to understand some of the quotes that are part of our everyday life. Like when Daddy whistles at mom all dressed up for church, and she flips her hair and says as she swings by, “Why this old thing! I only wear this when I don’t care how I look!” Or why whenever the word coconut comes up, Daddy says, “Say brainless, don’t you know where coconuts come from!?”