Santa will be arriving on the Vineyard via the Chappy Ferry on Friday, Dec. 12 at around 5:15 p.m. He and Mrs. Claus will join the festivities on Memorial Wharf followed by the lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse.

The Edgartown Village Market, an endeavor run by Chappaquiddickers, will be on hand Saturday, Dec. 13 in the down town Edgartown Village Green from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be lots of food and beverage offerings with many local artists presenting their work.

The Chappy Community Center will be hosting the annual holiday tea on Sunday, Dec. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed to contribute treats and to participate in setting up the party. If you would like to help out, reach out to the [email protected].

The Chappy Ferry will operate on the traditional abbreviated Christmas Day schedule on Thursday, Dec. 25. In the morning, the ferry will make a trip on the hour starting at 7 a.m. for anyone in line. The regular continuous operation will resume at noon.

On New Year’s Eve (technically New Year’s Day) the Chappy Ferry will make an after-party trip at 12:30 a.m. Speak to the ferry captain on your way to the party.

School kids get two whole weeks off this year for the holiday recess. Back in my day, long, long, ago, we weren’t so pampered. We had a half day of class on Christmas Eve and I recall the parents asking the school to please keep us all day.