In a bit of holiday magic sure to make her parents smile from heaven, Donna Corbett is carrying on her mother’s legacy this year in a special event called Always Christmas – A Corbett Family Tradition.

The event is an indoor holiday tree display that begins in the Corbett family home in the West End community of Mebane. Beginning in the early 1990s, Corbett’s parents, Mary and Ben Corbett, held an annual Christmas open house for friends, family, neighbors, and church members at their home. Always a time of laughter, music, good food, and fellowship, the centerpiece of the celebration was Mary’s ever-growing collection of exquisitely decorated Christmas trees.

When her mother passed away in June 2020, Corbett found that continuing the open house tradition kept her mother’s memory alive.“I’m so excited!” Corbett said. “Our open house had outgrown the space in our home. Visitors came from the Triangle and the eastern part of the state. My mom would sit by the fireplace and greet visitors who would either do a walk-through or stay and spend time catching up. She was also a giver, and everyone left with a gift.”

Corbett will host this event this year at the Mebane Recreation Center, 209 W Jackson St, Mebane, NC 27302.