Well, the seasonable weather has not stopped the festive mood in the air. Outside lights, candles and trees are being put up in the time-honored tradition. I celebrated my birthday last Sunday and my wife Anna cooked a superb roast beef dinner with all the fixins, and Sam made squash soup, topped off with a homemade mince pie Saturday night. Phyllis Meras, Jane and Ed Konicki and Susan Block were dinner guests. Phyllis made the mince pie that was enjoyed by all. I had over 200 messages on social media from as far away as Turkey, Austria, Holland and Canada, and several phone calls. I want to thank all of you for thinking of me.

Jane and Ed Konicki of Webster spent the weekend with us, departing on Monday. Ed’s birthday was Saturday so we all celebrated Saturday night. Daughter Nicole and grandson Robbie came over for the day on Sunday. All of us went to the Chowder House for dinner.

Mary Pat-Greene of Libertyville, Pa. was at her Indian Hill home all of last month and had gone back to Pennsylvania for the winter.

The MV Dems will meet Saturday morning at 9 a.m. in the Howes House. The guest speaker will be state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who will give an update on where things stand in the state legislature and prospects for the future.

The regional high School Minnesingers will present the annual holiday concerts Friday night at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. Both events are sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust.

Phyllis Meras, of Music Street, is organizing the town Christmas party this year. It will be held Dec. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Agricultural Hall on Panhandle Road. She will be collecting names for her always interesting annual Christmas poem that will be featured in a future edition of the paper. Everyone is always interested in the theme she chooses, if their name makes it in the poem, and what presents she has given out to them.

The holiday party season has begun, with the Chamber of Commerce annual affair in Edgartown and the town party on Thursday. Christmas in Edgartown is happening all this weekend. Katherine Long, of Scotchman’s Lane, will be hosting the 39th annual Winter Solstice Party on Sunday the 17th at her home from noon to 7 p.m. Her party is nothing short of superb and sure to be one of the highlights of the holiday season.

Hanukkah, the eight day festival of lights, starts Wednesday, Dec. 13. Coming at the onset of winter, it celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, purity over contamination and spirituality over materialism.

Olivia Larsen, over at the library, reports that Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m., there will be an art reception to honor the work of Enos Ray. His exhibit will be on display throughout December. On Sunday at 3:30 p.m., come to the library for the Second Sunday Jazz Concert featuring John (My Way) Alaimo on piano, Tauras Biskis on drums, and Michael Tinus on bass.

On Friday, Dec 12, 1941, four days after entering World War II, the town civil defense committee held a rally at the town hall in North Tisbury. They were told what was expected during an air raid. 1. Do not use the telephone 2. Build and use blackout curtains immediately and when the warning signal sounds after dark turn off all your lights. The chief air raid warden announced that Dorothy Russell would be in charge of North Tisbury. Her assistants were Mrs. Robert Flanders Jr. and Mrs. Forrest Bosworth. Lillian Manter was in charge of West Tisbury village. Her assistants were Lillian Magnuson, Hilda Austin, Elizabeth Campbell and Lorraine Armitage. Mrs. Raymond Cottle was the warden for Lambert’s Cove. Her assistants were Misses Mabelle Benson and Barbara Cottle.

Happy Birthday to: Karen Colaneri, Dan Rizzo and Janey Sobel Friday; Judy Sutel, Emily Smith, Ellen Pesch and Caitlin Krol Saturday; Virginia Bardwell Jones, Professor Ellen Weiss. Dana Rezendes and Kansas Brew on Sunday; John Sonia, Lauren Withers, Keith Johnson and Kristina Fletcher on Monday; Frank Sinatra, Brian Bilsback, Alan Reekie, Linda Baughman, John Thurber, and Jan Schulze on Tuesday; Silas Berlin, Susie Trees, Mary Beth Daniels and Simon Bollin on Wednesday; and Kathleen Gibbs, Cathy Brennan, Elizabeth Specht, Leonard Bedford 3rd, and Brett Fisher on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Roy Riley.

That is all of the news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week and start your shopping now.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.