Chappy has felt a bit busier and brighter over the past week as lights went up at a few houses and families gathered to take part in the festivities of Christmas in Edgartown. My family and I took advantage of an unseasonably warm and foggy evening last Friday to attend the Mytoi Illumination. Hot cider and Christmas cookies were served at the entrance near a welcoming fire. Luminaries lined the trail in from the gatehouse, warm light dancing on the path. Throughout the garden, lights flickered from their perches on benches and in tree nooks, and paper lanterns illuminated the Tea House in a soft glow. In years past, my sister-in-law, Molly Peach Mayhew, has been involved with the Mytoi lighting and described developing little sore spots on her thumbs from switching on and then off again so many battery-powered candles. It is well worth the effort.

The beginnings of a new dredging project at Mytoi were barely visible through the dark that evening. Steve Ewing, Eric Gilley and George Fisher are removing silt and muck from the western side of the pond and will be rebuilding the island. Long-time garden volunteer Lindsay Allison reminds visitors to be careful around the pond and stay away from construction areas. “The garden should be even more beautiful in the spring!” she says.

Chappaquiddick can be especially dark in the winter, so I always find myself appreciating the twinkly lights dotting the island at Christmas. Joe Currier and Claudia Tolay’s house just down the road from the community center is particularly well-decorated, featuring a variety of white and colored lights strung across their big, sloping yard. It’s worth slowing down a bit next time you pass by to really take it all in. Or you can stop by on Dec. 19, 20, and 21 from noon till five for an EthosMV pop up shop at their home. Joe and Claudia will be serving Turkish tea and coffee while customers browse an assortment of jewelry and crafts made by women living in nomadic tents and villages of central Asia.

The Chappy Community Center will once again host the annual Christmas Eve supper on Dec. 24 from 6 to 8 pm. All are welcome to attend this potluck dinner, a tradition that began in the days before the community center was built. Wanting to ensure that no one spent the holiday alone, Joe and Mary Cressy invited all to join them for a Christmas Eve supper at their home on Chappy. When the dinners first began, they were small and intimate, but over the years more and more attended until it became too large of a gathering for Joe and Mary’s home. Luckily by then the community center was finished and could carry on the tradition. If you would like to attend this year, please visit the CCC website to sign up for a dish.

Last weekend, Zach Pineiro of Chappaquiddick Bowl Company hosted an open house at his shop at Whale Jaw Farm. The event drew about 200 people throughout the afternoon, a mix of neighbors and off-Island visitors, many of whom ventured over from the festivities in Edgartown. Zach was pleased with the turnout this year and plans to host a similar event every winter. There is still time to purchase his wares before Christmas. You can find plenty of bowls, salad servers, cutting boards and more for sale on his website at chappaquiddickwoodcompany.com.

The rare northern long-eared bat tagged earlier this fall on Chappy by BiodiversityWorks is still missing. “Charlie’s” transmitter lost signal several weeks ago and the organization believes he may have gone into hibernation in a basement or crawl space somewhere on Chappy. Although Charlie’s transmitter is now dead, BiodiversityWorks has requested to be contacted if you find any bats in your home this winter. You can reach them at 1-800-690-0993 or by emailing info@biodiversityworksmv.org.

Keep in mind that on Christmas morning the Chappy Ferry will be running on the hour from 7 until 11 a.m. Then, beginning at noon, the ferry will resume its regular winter schedule.

Happy holidays to all and see you in the New Year!