It’s been another week of weather. Looking out my window one morning, I saw a few pale cherry blossoms on a tree behind our house. Mike came home from a walk with Abby, and mentioned seeing a snowflake or two.
Thanksgiving was a lovely day. We were invited to Betty and Bill Haynes’. Dinner was in the evening, leaving a long, lazy day to putter in the kitchen.
The Hull family always gathered for Thanksgiving dinner in late afternoon. Everyone would meet for a long beach walk during the afternoon. It was a day to spend together with family, friends, and lots of dogs.
Except for the cook. During the years when we hosted dinner, I always enjoyed having the day to myself to prepare. Being ritual-minded, Thanksgiving morning was for making the stuffing while watching the Macy’s parade. It reminded me of watching the parade when we were kids, lined up on the sofa in the living room, cheering at the familiar and new-for-the-first-time floats as they made their way down to Herald Square. Mom was in the kitchen. Dad was at the store until 1 o’clock. Then the relatives would arrive.
Mike’s childhood memories were similar. Everyone sat at tables butted together that ran from the dining room into the living room of his grandparents’ home in Woodbury, Conn. That was in Mike’s mind when we added a dining room onto our house, one that would accommodate the whole guest list at tables butted together from the dining room into our greenhouse, the whole south side of our house. Mike finished the room in time for his father to preside at his last Thanksgiving table. Memories.
Back to the present. Driving out of the Haynes’ driveway after Thanksgiving dinner, I was awestruck by the sight of Middletown Nursery wrapped in white lights, the first Christmas display I saw this year. It was spectacular. There were lights outside Allen and Lynne Whiting’s, too, and our firehouse, Station 1. I love driving around at night and seeing all the lights, white or colored, they all make me happy.
It’s officially the holiday season. Party season. Come to the West Tisbury library on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 to 4 pm, for their annual party. There will be live music, refreshments, and craft materials for making holiday cards and swags of greenery. Feel free to bring a treat to share if you like; it’s not a requirement. The only requirement is to bring yourself and your holiday spirit.
Best of the best, Santa Claus will be paying a visit to West Tisbury Station 2 on Sunday afternoon, from 1 to 3 pm. He will be picked up and brought to the station in one of the fire trucks. I am always excited to see Santa coming up to the station, waving as he is driven inside to a waiting sleigh the firemen set up to make him feel at home. There are hot chocolate and cookies for everyone.
Monday, Dec. 9, will be the Town Holiday Party, from 5 to 7 pm. It’s at the Grange Hall this year, a potluck as always, so bring something delicious to share.
There is a lot to do during holiday season. It’s so much fun to have parties to go to, to make or buy presents, to have a spot in the house for wrapping them, for decorations brought out from year to year. Busy, but fun, and filled with memories.
If you have any West Tisbury Town Column suggestions, email Hermine Hull, hermine.hull@gmail.com.
