We’re still nine days away from the official Christmas holiday, but today is a Christmas of sorts at the McCaleb household. We’ll be celebrating tonight with Mom, who is visiting from western Pennsylvania.

Ever since Dad died of lung cancer in 2007, Mom has traveled to Crystal Lake the weekend or two before Christmas to share some special time with my wife and me, and especially her grandchildren. It’s a relatively new tradition that we all look forward to.

Tradition always has been a special part of the holiday season. Traditions come and go, but the best of them remain with us for a lifetime, if only in memory.