We were pleased to see so many people at Christmas in the City this past Friday, and we are even more excited that people are still remembering the traditions that make the holidays special.

You hear a lot of worry around this time of year about traditions, and whether people are honoring them during the Christmas season. Yet traditions like Christmas in the City are important, in that they bring a community together to share the spirit of the season. Downtown businesses don’t often offer free food and activities for passersby, and the fact that so many businesses throughout Austin and Mower County offer such amenities is a wonderful thing. These businesses put forth time and effort, two things often in short supply, to make sure residents can make family memories. They should be commended for their work, and we do so here.

Families should take time during the Christmas season to recognize some of those traditions that have fallen by the wayside, for whatever reason. It’s the time of year to get families together, after all, and traditions have a way of bringing people together from all walks of life over a good story or a funny joke that usually accompanies annual traditions.

We are grateful to everyone who participated in Christmas in the City this year, and we encourage residents to attend Christmas in the Northwest on Tuesday, Christmas in the Southwest on Thursday, and Christmas in the County on Friday and Saturday. Now’s the time to form traditions of your own, and we encourage families to come together to make those traditions special this year.