For the Love of It

From The Christmas Instinct by William Caldwell:

A Scrooge No More

From Art Railton’s Just a Thought, of December 16, 1988:

About this time each December I begin to wonder: Is Christmas worth it? Frazzled and frantic, with a long list of things still undone, presents still not bought, cards still not written, the tree to put up, I’m tempted to chuck it all in. Bah, humbug!

How did Christmas get to be so hectic? Why not go back to the “good old days,” the way Christmas used to be?

Waxing Poetic

From Gazette editions of December, 1985:

Vineyard residents have become accustomed to receiving mail addressed in unusual ways. But the other day Travis Tuck, well-known Island metal sculptor, called to say he had received a package addressed to Vineyard Heaven. He remarked, “I know it’s a nice place we live in and all, but . . . .”

Idyll Chatter

From Gazette editions of December, 1935:

At the Table

From Bill Caldwell’s 1983 “The Day After:”

Please pass the bicarb. That second round of pie a la mode was a mistake. Indeed the entire notion of acknowledging nature’s kindness by feasting may have been a mistake. The Pilgrims should have celebrated by fasting. Something is missing from this eyewitness account of the first harvest festival:

Dishing Local

From the Gazette Turkey Files:

The turkeys that adorn Thanksgiving tables come mostly from the mainland. But there was once a time in the not-too-distant past when the Island-producd turkey was as much a part of Island gourmet eating as Island-produced seafood.