Thanks to Harry Athearn, Nina Levin and Pierce Kirby for making smooth mail deliveries, and Alan Gowell for minding the cemeteries while I was away for Christmas.

The trend in recent years seems to be more toward family or neighborhood gatherings to welcome in the New Year.

Paul Magid and his wife Anita Botti, of Pond Road, held a New Year’s Eve dinner party for friends. School opens for the winter term on Monday.

Anna, Sam and I went up to North Attleboro to be with Nicole, Arsen and the grandchildren for Christmas. The twins, Eddie and Mark, got their own two-wheeled bikes with training wheels while the older boys got a play station. A great time was had by all.

Sig Van Raan and his wife Susan Dickler of New York city have been here for the holidays. Son Jackson will spend the remainder of the winter in the house.

Julia Katz and family spent the holiday with her parents Fred and Jean Barron of Campbell Road. Fred reports that he had a wonderful time with the grandchildren.

Olivia Gately over at the library, invites all to join them for a reception Saturday from 3:30 to 5 p.m., featuring their January artist, Richard Limber. At 7 p.m. Dr. Peter Neilley will give a talk about weather and climate change. Learn how modern weather and climate forecasts are made. On Thursday at 10:30 a.m. the library hosts the first presentation in this year’s classical music series. The series is organized by David Rhoderick. The first presentation will feature Wendy Taucher speaking about Berg’s opera Wozzeck.

Happy birthday to: Phebe Bates, Elizabeth Cecil, Chris Jones and Pat Vann today; Eben Armer, Brenda Benware and Mike Jacobs tomorrow; Dr. Mike Goldfein, Todd Hitchings, Fred Murphy, Lynne White and Steve Myrick on Sunday; Charlotte Caskey, Jeremiah Brown, Mary O’ Connell, Ryan Tucker, and Renee Bonnell on Monday; Alexis Garcia-Holden and Ike Russell on Tuesday; Joan Ames, Lila Griswald and Willie Whiting on Wednesday; Ann Burt, Sydney Blackmer, Joyce Capobianco, Davis Solon and Diane Powers on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Lisa Dimitri.

Well, that is all the social news for this week’s edition. Please call or e-mail me with your news.

Trivia facts you can use at the next party: Western Union delivered its final telegram 15 years ago this month, and 110 years ago Sunday the first picture from an airplane in this country was taken. Samuel Morse demonstrated his telegraph for the first time 149 years ago tomorrow. Have a good week.