The leaves for the most part have fallen to the ground and were blown around by the wind last weekend. This along with the shorter days — it is getting might grim outside. Next Friday is the traditional start of the Christmas season. Just 36 shopping days remaining before Christmas! Archery season is under way; the deer have been stirred up and are found in strange and dangerous places for the motorist to contend with so drive carefully especially around dark.

Town buildings will be closed next Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The First Congregational Church will hold a family Thanksgiving service at 10 a.m. on Sunday. All are welcome.

Fire chief Manuel Estrella reports that the fireman’s civic association will soon be distributing food baskets to the elderly in town for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Anna Alley returned home last Saturday night after spending a week up in East Taunton with the grandchildren. Their parents celebrated their 10th anniversary with a trip to the Dominican Republic.

Jen Wool and Dan Leventritt of South Road report that the Blue Barque will welcome back the Cronin family from Pennsylvania for their second annual Martha’s Vineyard Thanksgiving feast.

The winter Farmers’ Market is open Saturday at the Agricultural Hall from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.

Shawn Barber and Anna Carringer celebrated their wedding on Tuesday at the Grange Hall. A large crowd attended the festivities and wished them well.

The Congregational Church annual Christmas Faire will be held on Dec. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Custom orders for evergreen or boxwood wreaths can be made by calling the church office at 508-693-2842.

This year marks the 113th anniversary of the first electric Christmas ornament — remember to drive by the Gatchell residence on County Road in Oak Bluffs to view their superb display of Christmas lighting. They will be turning them on Thanksgiving night and every night after that until New Year’s Day. Bob reports that they have been hard at work decorating their yard hanging almost 25,000 lights for the past few weeks and that he will unveil a new surprise or two that he has been working on for several months.

The library reports will host its biennial community poetry reading Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m. Help keep the tradition alive by attending as a reader or a listener or both. The host is West Tisbury poet laureate Emma Young.

History note: Mrs. Bradlee Martin, of Tiah’s Cove, set out to bake a custard pie on the morning before Thanksgiving Day in 1939. The ingredients were 18 turkey eggs from the nest out in the barn, fresh milk and cream from the famous Martin Jersey cows, granulated sugar, and Sumatra spices, the finest that SM Mayhew Co. had in stock. The mixture was beaten, whipped and blended. Mrs. Martin placed the dish in the oven and in due time it would emerge a beautiful browned custard pie. At the appointed time she went back to the oven opened the door and removed her culinary delight but to her amazement the crust was on top and the custard was on the bottom of the pie. Her husband Bradlee immediately suspected it was the pure vanilla extract that she had used to flavor it with. Why that stuff is 40 per cent alcohol and enough to turn anything upside down, he said.

Happy birthday to: Rusty Hitchings, Sammi Chaves, Jennifer Reekie, Michael Alberice and Terri Mello Friday; John Athearn, Kevin Segel, Benjamin Luckey, William Skinner and Sandra Mincone Saturday; Carlo D’Antonio, Craig Dripps, Sam Hopkins, Glen Gaskill and Joan Borkow on Sunday; Bernice Kirby, Stephanie Russell, Willie Mason, and Dan Metell on Monday; Dan Cabot and Nancy Dole on Tuesday; Alexandra Look, Bob Julier, Paddy Moore, Anne Reekie and Marcia Smilack on Wednesday; Nick Bayer, Kenny Belain, Teddy Karalekas, Peter Ochs, Arsen Hambardzumian and Reeve Moreau on Thursday. A very happy 37th wedding anniversary to Allen and Lynne Whiting on Thursday.

Well, that is all the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Do you remember that 64 years ago today the soon to be famous chimp, J. Fred Muggs, made his first television appearance on the Today program with the host Dave Garoway. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.