On Thanksgiving day, as soon as the dishes are done and secured away to the refrigerator full of leftovers or to the cabinets where they belong, my family piles into our living room, my dad starts a fire in our fireplace and my sister presses play. For the next two hours, we are all completely enthralled in the world of four stage performers and a Vermont Inn owned by a retired major general. “White Christmas” officially begins.

I glance around the room occasionally, and when I do, I find nothing but smiles in my love-filled home. This kickoff to the Christmas season may very well be my favorite. My family and I quote our way through the first 10 minutes, then sing along with Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen as they perform “Sisters.” Some years, my little sister and I even dance and sing along as if we could ever look like the Haynes sisters.

As we watch Danny Kaye whisk Vera Ellen off her feet in “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing,” my family cracks jokes, asking me if I will ever be able to dance the way they do. (You would know why they think it is hilariously funny if you had ever suffered through my cringe-worthy lack of coordination.)

Once their jabs at me are over, we go back to quoting and laughing. My grandma’s favorite part begins, and suddenly we see Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye dressed as though they were the Haynes sisters, dancing (as a loose term) and lip-syncing to the girls’ performance. Every year when this part comes on, I think my grandma may cry because she laughs so hard.

Before we know it, “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” begins to play, and Bing Crosby’s voice melts our hearts. My mom has several favorite parts in this movie, as she has been watching it every year since she was born, but every year when I look at her face during this song, her smile is radiant.

As the movie progresses, smiles grow broader, belly laughs grow louder and thoughts of Christmas grow fonder–that is, until we reach Kaye’s “Choreography” number. One of the only ways to make my father uncomfortable is to watch Danny Kaye dance around the stage with eyeliner to match his form-fitting purple outfit. As he glides across our screen surrounded by emo-looking dancers, none of us can concentrate on the movie because we are laughing so hard at my father.

We reach “Gee! I Wish I Was Back In The Army,” and my grandpa laughs. The four main characters seem to dance right out of the screen and into our hearts. As the movie comes to its end and “White Christmas” rings throughout our home, we all sing along and Christmas has officially begun.

Many of my favorite Christmas memories are tied back to “White Christmas,” and it marks the beginning of the holiday season in my home. It brings my family together and never fails to plant some of the first yearly seeds of Christmas spirit in our hearts. Because of my family and my memories, “White Christmas” will always hold a special place in my heart.