In New Iberia, as in many other places, Christmas traditions have been a part of every family for years. With the holidays here again, it’s important to look back on what has been and what to look forward to in the future.

One tradition that many people enjoyed years ago was setting up toy trains around the tree. Does anyone still do that?

What’s around the bottom of your Christmas tree? A simple tree skirt and a pile of gifts? Maybe a Nativity set? There’s another track you could go down: In some families, it’s traditional to set up a model train to circle the Christmas tree.

The constantly chugging train can be simple and inexpensive, or as elaborate as the model-railroad buff in your family wants. It brings a hypnotizing and old-fashioned element to your living room or den. And if you have kids, cats or dogs, you’ll delight in watching them watch the train.

No one knows for sure how the tradition of toy trains under the Christmas tree got started, but historians believe the tradition dates back at least 100 years. In fact, it probably got started in the early 1900s, around the time when manufacturer Lionel began to produce the first electric toy trains.

It’s a tradition that should be still used today, as it brings back memories of your youth, when everything was still magical. Do you still have a train under your tree?