For the uninitiated, “The Nutcracker” tells the story of a young girl, Marie (sometimes called Clara), who receives a nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. That night, Marie experiences a fanciful dream; she and the Nutcracker Prince battle the evil Mouse King, then journey to the Land of the Sweets. The original production was choreographed by Marius Petipa and performed in December 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The man responsible for making “The Nutcracker” a yearly American tradition is the iconic choreographer George Balanchine.

If “The Nutcracker” isn’t yet a holiday tradition in your family, here are some compelling reasons why it should be. The ballet is for and about kids. When Balanchine, director of the New York City Ballet, staged the first American production in 1954, he cast children in many of the roles, including Clara and the Nutcracker Prince.

Balanchine’s version became a massive success after it was televised in 1957 and 1958. It then became standard practice for companies staging the ballet. By making children central to the story, Balanchine gave countless dancers their start — and inspired thousands of others to fall in love with ballet.