8 year old Lucia sat at her father's feet, enthralled with the music coming from the guitar as he played. She loved the music and the way his fingers moved as they coaxed a melody from each individual string.

This particular evening was Noche Buena and the little family of four was enjoying the night before Navidad together in their townhome on the outskirts of Avalor City. Lucia's father, Francisco, sat in a wingback chair by the fire as he played all of her favorite Navidad songs. Luisa, Lucia's mother, had just bustled into the room with a plate heaped high with freshly fried buñuelos that she placed on a table nearby, while Lucia's baby sister, Gabriella, napped in a cradle nearby.

"Who wants a buñuelo?" Luisa called out with a warm smile at her beloved family.

"I do!" Little Lucia and Francisco called out in unison. They looked at each other and laughed, springing to their feet and rushing over to the plate of sweet crispy fritters, taking one in each hand.

"Aye! Francisco! Lucia! One at a time!" Luisa scolded, lightly smacking at their hands, albeit half heartedly. She couldn't help the indulgent smile that curved across her features as she watched her daughter and husband enjoying the treats she'd prepared especially for them.

"Mmm! These are delicious, mami!" Lucia said, her mouth full as crumbs flew from her mouth.

Chuckling, Luisa said, "Don't talk with your mouth full, Lucia. But thank you. Would you like some champurrado, mijita?" Luisa turned to the little table and began preparing the mugs of the thick, sweet spiced chocolate drink.

Swallowing, Lucia bounced excitedly on her toes, the half eaten buñuelo between her hands as she said, "Oooh! Yes please, mami!"

"Francisco?"

Finishing off his first buñuelo, Francisco licked the sugar from his fingers and leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek. She giggled as his spectacular black mustache tickled her cheek and he said, "But of course, mi amor. Nothing beats a Noche Buena at home with my family and your delicious treats."

Blushing slightly, Luisa reached up to brush her fingers against his mustache as she said, "Aye Francisco, you have crumbs in your mustache."

"I was saving them for a snack!"

Luisa laughed. "That won't be necessary, amor. There are plenty of snacks for you right here without you needing to store crumbs on your face like a greedy squirrel."

Grinning roguishly, Francisco bowed dramatically, "As you wish amor."

Having finished her first buñuelo, Lucia tugged on her mother's skirt saying, "Can we sing now, mami? Papi?"

Singing around the Navidad tree was Lucia's favorite part of the holiday. She adored hearing her father play alone but there was something about all three of them coming together to sing along that made her tiny child's heart so happy. She thought her mother had the most beautiful singing voice and could only hope to sing as well as her someday, though her greatest wish was to learn to play guitar as well as her papi.

"Of course, mijita," Luisa said, scooping up the baby who had begun to stir. "But you may have to wait a little longer while your satisfies that relentless sweet tooth of his."

Francisco grinned sheepishly at the pointed look from Luisa. Scooping young Lucia up in his arms, he gave her a hug and a tickly, whiskery kiss, saying amidst her chorus of giggles, "There's only one thing I love more than sweets, mi reina, and that's music! So, yes! Of course we can sing now."

He placed her feet gently on the floor and grabbed his guitar, pulling his chair closer to the Navidad tree, decorated with shimmering tinsel, shining ornaments and flickering candles. Lucia thought it looked like a fairy city, with the way it sparkled and glowed.

Francisco tuned his guitar and played a few chords of the cheerful tune and began singing with his rich baritone voice, "Ya llegó la Navidad! Fa la la la la––"

Luisa's sweet alto and Lucia's little girl's soprano joined in, harmonizing together beautifully. The little family sang together Navidad song after Navidad song. It was a night of warmth and love and laughter in the little sitting room on the outskirts of Avalor City.

Nibbling on her buñuelo between songs, Lucia gazed fondly at the Navidad tree and then at her family, her little heart swelling with happiness as she thought about how their little family traditions were truly a gift in and of themselves–– truly she felt like the luckiest girl in all of Avalor to be able to have such happy times to look back on in Navidads past and to look forward to for many more Navidads in years to come.