Ice skating? Sleigh rides? A white Christmas? Not at the Newport Beach house.

In Southern California, it’s twinkle lights on palm trees, boat parades with colored lights everywhere, gondola rides and beach-front mansions decorated with Santas.

But also cookie exchanges, house decorating contests and hot chocolate. And Jen is determined to re-create all of her grandmother’s Christmas traditions, if it’s the last thing she does.

The Christmas angels have different ideas, though, and Jen and her lifelong friends create an entirely different—and even more heartwarming—tradition.