Best wishes for a rapid recovery go out to Barbara Harnen. We hope she is soon enjoying the holidays.
Look for this: Many local merchants offer chances on a basket of gifts from their individual shop. Purchase a ticket, which amounts to a donation, and maybe you’ll win! All proceeds benefit the Family to Family meals program of the Vineyard Committee on Hunger. Drawings take place on Tuesday.
The annual Christmas tea, luncheon, and shopping is Saturday from 1 to 3 pm at the First Baptist parish hall on William Street. Celebrate the season with tea or coffee, tea sandwiches, and cookies as well as shopping for baked goods, crafts, and gift items at reasonable prices. Tickets for lunch are $8, $4 for children.
The Holiday Gift Show at Featherstone features more than 60 Island artists with affordable handmade gifts. Free admission, and the show is open through Sunday from 12 to 4 pm.
The NAACP Bazaar is at the Oak Bluffs Senior Center from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday with raffles, vendors, and baked goods.
You can have your photo taken with Santa from 11 am to 1 pm at the MV Film Center. Then enjoy the Saturday matinee of Home Alone at 1 pm. The McAllister family is going to Paris for the holidays. When the youngest is sent to his room on the 3rd floor, he is forgotten in the rush to get to the airport. It is fun until the boy discovers two bad guys planning to rob the house on Christmas Eve.
On Sunday at 3:30 pm enjoy a festive Christmas Concert at the First Congregational Church in West Tisbury, led by Music Director David Rhoderick and guest conductor Phil Dietterich with traditional carols by the choir and guests. The audience will be invited to sing along too. $15 tickets benefit the church, students are free. A reception follows the concert. Doors open at 3 pm.
See The Nutcracker brought to life by the Vienna State Ballet, a sumptuously traditional production on the big screen on Sunday at noon at the MV Film Center. The ballet opens with a Christmas Eve party and young Clara receiving a gift of a nutcracker. In her dreams that night the nutcracker battles with the mouse king and Clara travels to the Kingdom of Sweets. Tickets $20, $12 for children 14 and under. Remember Film Society membership or movie tickets make welcome gifts for friends of all ages.
The Winter Holiday Cabaret is on Sunday at 7:30 pm at the Vineyard Playhouse, with Phil Dietterich on the piano and performers Molly Conole, Shelagh Hackett, Paul Munafo, and Kenny Romero, with guest singers Kasey Stenson and Anna Yukevich. Tickets are $23 in advance.
Tickets for Monday night at the Movies with Jamie Alley at the MV Playhouse are $5 cash at the door. See Meet Me in St. Louis at 7:30 pm, one of the funniest musicals ever made. The film follows a year in the life of the Smith family of St. Louis during the excitement of the 1904 World Fair, with Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien.
The Vineyard Haven Library will have no program next Tuesday and will be closed from 1 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 24 until 10 am on Friday, Dec. 26. Watercolors of Island landscapes painted by David Grey are on display at the library this month.
The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury invites you to Christmas Eve services, a pageant at 5 pm at the Ag Hall and 10 pm lessons and carols at the church.
Happy anniversary to Fred and Jill LaPiana who celebrate on Monday.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out on Saturday to Mattsen and Sutton Koster. Happy birthday to Vera Shorter on Monday.
Heard on Main Street: Be naughty. Save Santa the trip.