Jay Crandell of Hayes, started a family holiday tradition 15 years ago that he thought others might enjoy. In 2010, Jay sent an amaryllis bulb as a Christmas gift to his grandmother Lois Crandell, who was living alone in Florida after the death of her husband. She enjoyed raising the plant, and the following year Jay sent her another. Then another.At some point, Jay decided to turn the annual gift into a race to see who could grow the best amaryllis, and he sent Lois instructions on what date to plant the bulb—instructions he followed as well. “The great amaryllis race was on,” said Joe Crandell, Jay’s dad. As the plants grew, Jay and Lois sent each other pictures, often including a ruler to show the size of a stem or a flower. In the end, Lois’s amaryllis won the race. Time passed and Lois moved to Maryland to live with her daughter, then to assisted living, but the race continued year after year, eventually including all of Lois’s children. Each year family members shared photos of t...