JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Winter officially begins on Monday and the temperature has jumped around as much as the Energizer bunny. Warm and springlike one day, then cold and raw another day. We could have our first snowfall this weekend. Monday, the winter solstice, will be the shortest day of the year. So we must think positively as the days will be getting a tiny bit longer starting on Monday and seed catalogs have begun to arrive in the mail.
All is pretty much prepared in most homes for Christmas. After shopping and a lot of decorating, inside and out, families will be gathering together to celebrate this most blessed day. Relax, there is still time for some last-minute gifts for those of you who have not finished or even begun your shopping. Reliable Market is busy making fruit baskets for last-minute gifts. Cherrilla Brown is selling her home-produced salt, another fine stocking present.
You may chose to attend one of the two church services Thursday evening offered by Rev. Baker of the First Congregational Church. At 5 p.m. the Annual Children’s Pageant will be held at the Agricultural Hall. Following the pageant, an invitation is extended to those who would like to attend a traditional candlelight worship service led by Rev. Baker in the church at 10 p.m. All are welcome to attend a church service.
The boats were packed with people going to the mainland to shop for Christmas last weekend, and again today some folks got a head start traveling off Island for the holiday to be with their families.
Sabine and Manfred Buettner, of Kuhlenborg, Germany, arrive on Wednesday to spend the holiday season with their daughter, Ina, her husband, Richard, and grandson Nicolas. Richard can’t wait for their special pfeffernüsse and other German treats that they are sure to bring with them.
Amy Houghton, of Road to Great Neck, reports that her mother, Eleanor Barry, of Rockville, Md., is coming on Monday for a holiday visit with her daughter Amy, son in law Olson, and granddaughters Molly and Cait. Also on Saturday, Amy reports that over 300 people came to visit the World War II Martha’s Vineyard Museum exhibit, the largest number of people to tour the museum in a single day.
Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home on Wednesday from a trip down to New York city. On the way back home she began to work on her always interesting annual Christmas poem, which will be featured in next week’s paper. Everyone is always interested in the theme, to see if their name makes it in the poem and what presents she has given out to them.
Will Whiting, of State Road, will be traveling out to Marion, Ohio, to visit his grandparents, Bill and Betty Glimpse, and his mother Pat for Christmas. Will returns home after New Year.
The 31st annual Winter Solstice Party will be held on Sunday from noon until 8 p.m. at the home of Tom Vogl and Katherine Long on Scotchman’s Lane. It is a festive gathering and sure to be a highlight of the holiday season.
Sam Alley arrives home from his studies at Framingham State College on Wednesday. Many other college students will have arrived to be with their parents for the holidays, as will his sister Nicole, her husband, Arsen, and his mother, Aida.
Maratha Moore, of Middle Point, reports that a good crowd of people turned out for the Hospice concert at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs. Among the other performances, the West Tisbury Church choir sang Linda Berg’s Mass of Creation.
Daniel Whiting, of Surprise, Fla., and his children, David and Emma, arrive today for their annual Christmas visit with his sister, Tara, at Old Parsonage Farm.
Linda Baughman, of Philadelphia and Music street, is sorry to miss the holidays on the Vineyard but looks forward to next year. In the meantime she wishes everyone a happy holiday season. Dr. Gabrielle Walker, author and environmentalist of London, England and Lyon, extends her best wishes for a happy holiday season to all and plans on returning in the spring. Cousin Millie Fodor out in Lautenberg, Ohio, extends her holiday greetings to every one back here.
Lynn Christoffers, of Edgartown Road, returns home tomorrow after a brief trip down to New York city and New Jersey to visit family from out of town. She is looking forward to spending her Christmas at her place.
The school library’s annual book sale for the benefit of the Red Stocking Fund ends today. School will be dismissed at noon on Wednesday for the holiday, returning on Jan. 4, 2010.
“On Dec. 22, 1949 the school presented a Christmas program the same afternoon it closed for the holidays. As the school was without heat due to an electrical failure, the exercise was held in the Agricultural Hall. The play Mother Goose Land was presented by students Joan Merry, Walter Vincent, Alice Churchill, Virginia Bardwell, Winifred Alley, Peggy Scott, Rita Alley, Constance Morrow, Meg Wilkinson, John Alley, George Churchill, Shirley Burt, Margaret Duquette, Dixon Rogers, Robin Elwell and Veronica Kelly. Christmas carols were sung by the entire school and recitations given by the students. Miss Helen R. O’Donnell, teacher for all four grades, directed the program with the assistance of Lydia Drew. Refreshments were served by the P.T.A.”
Happy birthday to Warren Hollinshead, Melanie Miller, Carol Brandon and Nyama Wingood, today; Janice Manter, Pam Putney, Pat Hughes and Marcy Klapper tomorrow; Rosalie Powell, Martha Doane, Ray Gale and Sara Roan on Sunday; Emma Conley, Cathy Weiss, Alexander Goethals and Fausta Edey on Monday; Taylor Rasmussen and Carroll Brown on Tuesday; Faith Runner, Wendy Gray, Mark Clements and Cecilia McCarthy on Wednesday; Ann Howes, Fred Thurber, Marg Luening and Gabriel Robinson-Lynch on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Lynne Demond and Deborah Pigeon and anniversary wishes to Bob Bunch and Sandra Polleys.
Well, that is all of the social news for this edition. If you have any news about the holidays and guests at your house, please call or e-mail me. We want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a very happy holiday season.
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