On Christmas Eve, as always, St. Nick was in the sky
And looking down on land and sea with his most practiced eye,
To search for landing venues for his reindeer and their sleigh
On mountain tops and deserts and big cities that were gray,
On beaches, hills and forests and on inviting downs.
And then he saw below him among the little towns
One town that was in mourning on Martha’s Vineyard isle,
‘T’was Chilmark where, for decades, there’d been candy made with style
At Chilmark Chocolates by Jan Campbell, Alison Burger and Grady, Mary Beth
And the town was in deep mourning, as if there’d been a death
For they’d announced retirement and were closing up their shop
There’d be no more chocolate ginger to give to Mom and Pop.
Menemsha mints, Squibnuggets and Chappy Chewys no more
In Chilmark’s undeniably most very favorite store.
And so it was that St. Nick’s deer could find a landing spot
Right in the sad and empty Chilmark Chocolates parking lot.
There, St. Nick tried hard to bring to all some holiday good cheer
With his sack chockfull of presents and his team of helpful deer.
He’d come, of course, with candy canes and crunchy chocolate bars
And dancing shoes and welcome mats and even brand new cars
For those who live in Chilmark and all the towns around,
He’d brought the best of presents for folks of Vineyard Sound.

In Edgartown, on summer days, Obamas, one and all,
Will be enjoying Edgartown, perhaps until the fall.
For them, St. Nick had in his sack,
Not any common sort of snack
But Island scallops that are tops.
And then there were to the Boston Pops,
A pair of tickets for the Kahlers,
Since they’re musical, not sailors,
For Lia and for her Thomas.
While Natalie Lucier got an albatross
To sit by the peacock in her store.
Forget what’s said in seamen’s lore
That the albatross is a bad luck bird.
(Most people know that myth is absurd.)
For Steve Amaral there were shiny new shoes
And for Nora Nevin an inviting cruise.
Then for John Custer was the school he needs
While Kate Desrosiers got flower seeds
For Vineyard House grounds, about which she cares,
While Brigitte Cornand got some Seckel pears.
And then Pam Cassel got sweet-singing doves
To join all the song birds she so loves.
And Robbie Osmers got a stove that does all
While for Nugget Reekie was a rubber ball.
And for Betty Eddy was a paisley shawl.
Then the David Finkelsteins had dinner for two
At the Beach Road Restaurant, while for Blue
Cullen, there were catnip mice
For her cats to enjoy they’re mighty nice.

Janet Messineo got a cashmere sweater
(She already has one, but the new one’s better).
Then Oliver Goeckel and Isla Burt,
Both of whom are little squirts,
Got stuffed Steiff bears to share their cribs
(Along, as well, as baby bibs.)
Then Everett Poole got a golden gavel
And the Sequeiras, who like to travel
A Florida trip to make them warm
While Eleanor Neubert, for the hens on the farm,
Got a good supply of fresh cracked corn.
For Kristina Alexander there were wings
To help her to get to the many things
She does at the bank where she knows all the ropes,
While for Laura Silber who likes homemade soaps
Was the lavender fragrance that she likes best.
It’s not easy to find for those on a quest.
And Santa had for that Keenan, Joe,
Whom all of West Tisbury seems to know,
An electric bike to speed up his trips
While Linda Alley got some rose hips
For the jellies she makes that are so tasty,
While for Shirley Mayhew there was Cornish pasty.

For Sally Brewster there was lots of fresh hay
And for Suzanne Trotta, at Rainy Day,
The perfect toy for a grandchild to hug
While the Toby Condliffes got a Persian rug
For their new apartment that’s very cozy
(In Toronto, Canada for those who’re nosy).
Samantha Cooper got a dark green jeep,
While Alan Whiting got a few more sheep,
And Genevieve Jacobs got tap dancing shoes,
As did Marjory Potts — that should make news.
Then Heidi Railhofer got a new Scuba tank
While for Jim Irwin for trips from the bank
To West Tisbury’s post office got a scooter,
For Amanda Dickinson was a laptop computer.
Then Tweed Roosevelt got more books to read,
And for Bob Ganz was a gift of mead
Next there were new paints for Blackburn, Donna
And many best wishes for Backus, Rhonda
Whose old friends in West Tisbury miss her much
And her sometimes outlandish special touch
At Alley’s Store where she worked for so long
And for Bob O’Rourke who plays ping pong,
New balls and paddles for the game he loves
While for Heather Thurber there were warm gloves.

Then Michelle Vivian and Eugene Jenison
Had a trip to Cancun, while there was venison
For Tony Rezendes, who owns the Square Rigger,
And then John Alley got films about Trigger.
Bob Tankard got tickets to fly to Aruba.
While for Leslie Hurd there were some to Bermuda.
Then Gus Ben David’s golden eagle
(He has an eagle not a beagle)
There was fresh rabbit for dinner snacks,
While for Bill Clinton there was a new sax.
Then Russell DeBettencourt, for his Corvair,
Got a new gas tank, and a Teddy Bear
Was in Santa’s sack for Eloise Geagan
And there was holly for Eulalie Regan.
Then Lanny McDowell got a varied thrush
While Phronsie Vibberts got a rose bush.

By then the Vineyarders gathered around
Were hoping St. Nick might have hidden a pound
Of Chilmark Chocolates deep in his sack
For some lucky person, but alas, alack,
That wasn’t the case but he did shout a wish
That helped to relieve a bit of anguish
That Alison Flanders and sister Sarah
Might somehow discover the tomb of a pharaoh
Filled high with riches to buy them a place
For selling their chocolates — ‘t’would be a disgrace
If they couldn’t find somewhere to have a store
(Just a little place, it needn’t be more)
To sell the fine chocolates they hope to make
(Though the prospect of doing so makes them quake).
But they’ve had their training in Chilmark town
With its chocolatiers of such great renown.
Then, after his plea, St. Nick went back to his work
(After all, Santa Claus from work cannot shirk)
So he dug down deep among gifts on his back
And stopped just a moment to have a quick snack.
Then he found as he fumbled some Arctic char
That was for Ann Burt though it comes from afar.
And she really prefers to eat local fish.
Then there was for the Packer Co.’s friendly Trish,
Tickets to Ireland where grandchildren are.

Next came spare parts for a Mustang car
To give to Ted Mayhew while Joan LeLacheur
Got wampum for her jewelry that is so fine.
It really is the top of the line.
And for Nelson DeBettencourt was some honey
While for Zach and Will Agin was chocolate money.
Next came a tiara for Pease, Mary Jane,
While for Jane Puetthoff was a candy cane.
Then Ranee Forrest of Cronig’s Store
Who’s a checkout person near the door
Got a woolly scarf to keep her cosy
While there was another for Belain, Rosie.
Craig Dripps got the egg crates that he needs
And for Susan Block were some pretty beads.
Steve Ewing got a caber he ought to toss.
(If he can’t fling it up, though, it won’t be a loss).
And that Scottish lass named MacDonald, Duncan
Got a Christmas pie that was made of pumpkin.
Then Andrew Kohl got more coffee to roast.
Renowned as it is from coast to coast.
For Jeremy Bradshaw was a new fire station
That will be renowned throughout the nation
For its up-to-date gear and up-to-date trucks,
It will end up by being quite deluxe.

For Olive Tomlinson were dancing shoes
While for Don Shanor was a lunch at The News.
Next Sue Sandern got new cookie sheets
While for Tom Thatcher there were pickled beets.
There were crockery bits for Strachan, Jen
For her mosaics and a hen
For Lynn Christoffers who tends birds well

(Though she prefers cats, if truth would tell).
For Emily Bramhall was a good works medal
While Michael Goldsmith got a sizable kettle
For storing his salads from Morning Glory.
And then there was for that Dean, Corey
A free travel pass on the Chappy ferry.
And there was, of course a very fine sherry
To please the taste buds of our John Kerry.
There was a pet lobster for David Ross
And Kenneth Hurd got Worcestershire sauce.
A round-the-world ticket to disc golf sites
Since it’s a game in which he delights,
Was Santa’s gift for Gifford, Jake.
Then Jill DiOrio got a new rake
For her wildflower garden so exquisite
It really is worth an Edgartown visit.

Cliff Athearn got gourmet Meals on Wheels
While Betsy Larsen got some edible eels
To sell to her customers who have good taste.
The eels surely won’t be going to waste
Then the George Rogers got extension cords
For their light display that is beyond words.
And Don Smith got a library of history films
While Virginia York got Siberian elms
To replace the trees that she has lost.
These come to her at absolutely no cost.
Bob Douglas got a new Jack Russell,
One with which he can happily tussle.
For Andrew Mitchell was a Diesel dump truck.
That will make it easier to get out of muck.
Then the Isaac Russells got a warm Welcome Home
With a P.S. suggestion No More to Roam.
For Patti McCracken was a dog car seat
For her dog named Remi — he’s very sweet.
Then for John Hirt was a pass for the ferry,
For all of his family to keep them merry
So they’ll come back summers when it is hot
In old New Orleans to this cooler spot.
An eiderdown quilt was Santa’s gift
For Anne Vanderhoop, who won’t be miffed
To get flowers, too, for her window sill.
For Jeff Madison was the O.E.D.
In a micro edition with lots to see.
For Suzi Bunker there was a scratch ticket
While Edie Blake got new croquet wickets
Then for June Manning was a spa stay
For her to have in the month of May.
Dan Cabot got a Y membership
And the Rez Williams’s another ship trip.
Naomi Plakins got a brand new stove,
While for Donga Gabis of Lambert’s Cove
Was a cactus plant for a window sill,
And Lisa Shanor got some dill.

By then Santa’s deer were longing to graze.
They’d stomped all about and tried to appraise
What there might be to eat and found very little.
They would even had tried sampling peanut brittle,
But with no candy store to offer them any
(Not even that candy that once cost a penny)
And no grass to chomp, it was time to be gone
Though not so far off as the Amazon.
Nantucket might be the next stop for St. Nick,
And flying right there was no special trick.
There was always the wind to aid on their flight.
So they nuzzled St. Nick to see if t’was all right
To fly off from the town once so rich in fine candy.
St. Nick said he thought that, first ‘t’would be dandy
To offer up thanks to Campbell, Burger and Grady
And their leprechauns, too, from Camp Jabberwocky
For all of the candy they’d made through the years,
They surely are, all of them, quite without peers!