I love the month of December. And it’s not just because of all the holiday cheer (and parties), and the coveted MMC Gift Week. Or the festive decorations wrapped throughout the city. Or even the 8 special nights of Chanukah and the time spent with family. I look forward to this time of year for all its traditions.

Everyone has their own unique traditions, and while my family has a few here and there, there’s one that’s always constant. Picture this: It’s a cold, snowy afternoon on December 25th and most stores, restaurants and shopping malls are closed. I’m home in Westchester sitting at the breakfast table with my siblings and parents. “What is there to do today?” my sister asks. The answer is crystal clear – GO TO THE MOVIES.

Every Christmas Day, my family and I go to the movies, followed by Chinese food for dinner (a typical Jewish Christmas). While other families may have similar traditions, my family makes ours one of a kind. We’re all very passionate, sometimes stubborn people – not a great combination when it comes to making democratic decisions. Every year it’s the same routine…We spend hours arguing and disagreeing over what movie to see. We laugh at my mom who makes us leave for the theatre 3 hours before the movie begins. And we almost always wind up seeing a bad movie and then complain about what we could have seen instead. And I wouldn’t pass that up for anything.

This year, I’m most excited to see Avatar (10 years in the making!), Nine (musical!), and Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr!). I wouldn’t consider myself a movie buff or even a movie fanatic, but during these cold winter months, especially on Christmas Day, it’s all about honoring our tradition and experiencing the magic of the movies with my family.