As my kids grew up we developed an accidental Christmas Eve tradition:  as we finished up the last preparations for celebrating Christmas Day with our extended family, we would light a fire in the fireplace, sip some hot, spiced apple cider and turn on the TV to watch IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.  It doesn't matter that we have watched it so many times before - we enjoy it just as much each year.  Mostly it is the slowing down, gathering together in the glow of the tree lights and sharing the warmth of the story of George Bailey.

We aren't quiet while watching, though.  If we were in a theatre we would definitely get "shushed".  My husband and daughter have great minds for trivia and so throughout the movie they are filling us in on the names of the actors, what other movies they appeared in and other "pertinent" statistics.  My son is a mimic and has a habit of memorizing the entire dialogue of his favourite movies.  His imitation of Jimmy Stewart trying to deal with his customer's who want to withdraw all their money from the Bailey Savings and Loan cracks me up every time:  "The money's not here. Your money's in Joe's house.... And in the Kennedy house, and Mrs. Macklin's house, and a hundred others."

Meanwhile I am trying to get a good look at The House.  320 Sycamore.  The Old Granville House.  Like Mary, I saw the potential even in the first grainy, black and white, filmed in the dark glimpses we get of it as George is walking Mary home from the dance.

George Bailey: OK then, I'll throw a rock at the old Granville house.

Mary: Oh no, don't. I love that old house.

George Bailey: No, you see you make a wish and then try to break some glass and you've got to be a pretty good shot nowadays too.

Mary: Oh no George don't. It's full of romance that old place. I'd like to live in it.

George Bailey: In that place?

Mary: Uh huh.

George Bailey: I wouldn't live in it as a ghost.

But of course George does end up living there.  When he uses his honeymoon cash to keep the Savings and Loan afloat, Mary surprises him by setting up a love nest in the abandonded, old Victorian.  I never did figure out if she bought it or they were just squatters!  When Ernie and Bert bring George home to her she has a chicken roasting on the fire, the table laid for two, the bed made and travel posters over the broken windows to give the illusion of exotic locations.  As usual, George is flummoxed.

 Mary:  Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for.

George:  Darling, you're wonderful.

Behind the main story, is the house makeover that Mary engineers while her family grows.  With all of George's talk and dreams about building great things, it is Mary that is building something - a cozy, comfortable home and a loving, happy family.  

It is worth noting that today it is totally acceptable, even desireable to renovate a derelict old house with "good bones".  But in Post-War America this was anything but popular.  Everyone - including George - wanted "New and Improved" everything including houses.  This was the time when the cookie-cutter suburbs exploded and every young couple aspired to a cute little Cape Cod or Ranch house with 2 cars in the driveway and 3.4 children in the yard.  Mary's choice was quite unfashionable and George was quite aware that not only was his house in bad shape, it just wasn't cool.  

Mary didn't mind though.  She had a vision of what their family could be and of what the house could look like and eventually those things came together.

Watch for the Old Granville House to be available for download Dec. 7th and see what kind of life your Sims can make in it.