Imagine a tree, gnarled and creaking, thick and sturdy. Tested by time and storms a-plenty, the old tree stands strong and firm, its roots grown deep and numerous. It provides shade to a weary traveler, fruit for a famished soul; many have tried to take it down but to no avail—it may be old, but it's just too strong.

In Nothing Like the Holidays, the Rodriguez family is the tree; it's a boisterous, loving, Puerto Rican family rooted in the Humboldt park area in West Chicago. The children are gathering at their parents' home for Christmas, and to add to the excitement, the youngest son is coming home from the Iraq war. Unlike the "I hate my family, but I gotta love 'em" messages of movies like this year's funnier-but-not-as-good Four Christmases, this one's a breath of fresh air because, although we know every family has its problems, there are too few movies that positively portray family.

Nothing Like the Holidays rings reminiscent of various Christmas films that focus on gatherings and all the possible drama and comedy that ensue during the holiday season. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and didn't feel empty inside after watching it—that empty feeling usually comes from the "family get-togethers suck" message that sits quietly under the jokes and quirks of many family-themed holiday movies.

The film touches many life-issues that families face together including: secrets and lies, marriage infidelity, child-bearing, uncertainty in life goals, tradition, and even the token White woman who is a bit too uppity to fit in with the very Puerto Rican Rodriguez family. All of this is handled lightly, with humor to soften the rough edges, and never gets too melodramatic or slapsticky. Granted, this makes the characters exist more on the surface and the story may seem more suited for TV, but the sincerity and truthfulness of the film's world and its inhabitants deserve a theatrical viewing experience.

The strength and closeness of the Rodriguez family can be a heart-warming reminder that in God's love we can find solace and comfort when life is messy and we fall on our face. Even when faced with traumatic and saddening situations, the love of God never wanes and never grows cold. Like a warm pastelillo (sorta like a turnover) and a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night, God's Word, his love, are like health to our body and refreshment to our bones (Proverbs 3:8).

The entire movie celebrates family, tradition, and togetherness in spite of any personal conflict. And this togetherness reflects what David shouted in Psalms 133, "Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together!" He speaks of the beauty that is found when a family lives in unity. It may not be literally together in the same house, but its that joy found in being together, and that love that keeps a family together. And we even see this culminate somewhat during a Christmas parranda scene where the neighborhood families gather, singing and dancing, joyful and triumphant, celebrating the holidays together.

I enjoyed the scenes of the family sitting together, eating and shouting, laughing and poking fun at each other, while an 'outsider' sits in shock. These small moments reminded me of my own family, crazy and flawed, strong and firm—a tree deeply rooted in love. Like a tree planted by the flowing streams (Psalms 1:8), it cannot be torn down. It stands as a testament to the strength of a family weathered and worn, but vibrant and alive.

A gem in the midst of much self-absorbed holiday hoopla, Nothing Like the Holidays is a heart-warming and inspiring film that celebrates the stuff that can't be bought and the memories that can't be replaced. A reminder to cherish the time we have right here and now, for it goes by so quickly, and we haven't any to waste.