At this writing, Reliable Market is busy making fruit baskets for last-minute gifts, and the Holiday Shop behind Alley’s was doing a brisk business. Pierce Kirby was pinch hitter at the post office last Saturday while I attended to some personal errands. Helping him sort mail was former Lieut. Gov. Kerry Healey.

We are now officially into the winter season but the weather has been extremely mild. Days will be starting to get a tiny bit longer. Seed catalogs have begun to arrive in the mail so you can start to plan your garden.

A birthday party was held for Rosalie Powell last Sunday night at her house and all her family and close friends attended.

A memorial service will be held at the library on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for old friend George Hough. He died in September and our condolences to his wife Mary Lu, daughter Mary Pat and the family. Simi Horwitz, down in New York city, and a frequent visitor, wishes all her Vineyard friends a happy holiday season.

Ed and Jane Konicki in Webster send holiday greetings to their Vineyard friends. So do Jen Wool and Dan Leventritt. Sal Laterra from Providence echoes the same and plans to be here to usher in the New Year.

Nina Harris arrived on Wednesday to spend the holidays with her dad, Jon Harris. Nina has worked at the general store and has made many friends. Pierce Kirby 3rd returned home last Wednesday from Vienna, Austria to be with his parents and family for the Holidays.

James Barrett, of State Road, died last week. Our condolences to his family.

Anna Carringer at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum supplied the following true story called A Soldiers Christmas in the Union Army, 1863. Charles Macreading Vincent, better known as Charlie Mac, served nearly three years in the Civil War. He documented much of his time through letters to his family at home on the Vineyard. It’s not surprising that he kept these records, for the position he held prior to entering the service was an apprentice at the Vineyard Gazette. The museum holds a large collection of Charlie Mac’s letters, including one from Folly Island, S.C. It was his first Christmas away from home. After a enjoying a meal of roast beef, turnips, potatoes, tomatoes and all the fixings, the soldiers were allowed to go off duty and spend the day competing in sack, wheelbarrow and foot races. Charlie, however, explained that he did not take an active part in any of the games except the dinner.

Happy Birthday to: Ann Howes, Holly Coyne, Marg Luening, Gabriel Robinson-Lynch and Sarah Moore today; Christina Montoya and Michael MacLean tomorrow; Glenn Jackson and Rachel Baumrin on Sunday, Claudia Lee, Eleanor Luce, Ruth Kirchmeier, Mary Gross and Mark Bernard on Monday; Gary Blodgett, Kate Devane and Maitland Edey on Tuesday; Simon Hickman, Phyllis McMorrow and Mary Van Nes on Wednesday; Beth Kramer, Max Skjoldebrand, Linda Cohen and Don Sibley on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Dr. Carrie Fyler.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news of your holiday guests please call or email me. Have a very Merry Christmas.