All is ready for Christmas on Monday. There is still time for a tiny amount of time for some last-minute shopping. Families will soon begin to gather together to celebrate this most blessed day. Ferries were packed with people going to and from the mainland for Christmas events last weekend and some got a head start traveling off-Island for the holiday. Pierce Kirby has been pinch hitting at the post office while I attended to some personal errands (like shopping).

Marian Irving reports that there will be two church services Sunday at 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 the traditional candlelight worship service in the church at 10 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

The 39th annual solstice party held by Katherine Long and the Jacksons was a huge success as always.

We are now officially into the winter season. Now that we have passed the shortest day of the year, daylight will be starting to get a tiny bit longer each evening. Seed catalogs have begun to arrive in the mail, so you can start to plan your garden.

Jen Wool, Kim Bartlett and Lisa Lillabridge up in Burlington, Vt., send best wishes to their many Vineyard friends for the holidays. Dr. Gabrielle Walker, author and environmentalist from London, England extends her best wishes as well. Cousin Millie Fodor out in Lautenberg and Sarah Noggle in Huron, Ohio extends holiday greeting to everyone back here. Toni Kurash and Simi Horwitz send greetings of the season from New York city, as do the Plakins sisters, Ava and Naomi, from Doylestown, Pa., and Shannon Burke and Kay Allen down in Dripping Springs, Tex. Malcolm Hall and his wife Judy of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma wish all their Vineyard friends a very happy holiday season.

Bob Luskin of Washington, D.C., his wife Charlotte Fallon and children Nathalie and Miranda, Cass and Peter wish their Vineyard friends all the best for the holidays and the new year. Ditto for Don Klepper-Smith and his wife Marcia. Walter Smith, the premier antique dealer of the South who is a friend, and his wife Lisa daughter Megan and his son Bruce his wife Angie send along their best to all of their friends here on the Island. Sig Van Raan and his wife Susan Dickler extend holiday wishes to their friends and neighbors.

Happy birthday to: Barbara Silk, Wendy Gray, Cecilia McCarthy and Carroll Brown today; Mark Clements, Dr. Caroline Flyer, Wendy Gray and Omar Rayyan tomorrow; Ann Howes, Margery Luening, Holly Coyne and Carol Marrama on Sunday; Christina Montoya and Jonathan Reynolds on Monday; Rachel Baumrin, Anna Hughes, Glenn Jackson and Markus Sisco on Tuesday; Claudia Canerdy, Rebecca Connor, Ruth Kirchmeier and Eleanor Luce on Wednesday; Gary Blodgett, Katherine DeVane, Barbara Smith and Zachery Stedman on Thursday.

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

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.