Island Holidays + Gift Guide 2023 by marthasvineyardtimes

+Gift Guide H O L I DAYS 2 0 2 3

Furry favs

for your four-legged friends

Games are always hopping at Lazy Frog

Island-centric books for under the tree

Shop ‘til you drop without a trip off-Island

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4 Don’t Miss

Holiday events to put on your calendar

6 - 8 Furry favorites

for four-legged friends By Nicole Jackson

10 + 11 It’s all fun and games

Light Up Holidays your

Inside

Adult-Use Cannabis

at the Lazy Frog By Nicole Jackson

12 + 13 Island-centric books

for under the tree By Mathew Tombers

14 - 16 Shop local

Locally Owned Locally Grown

18 + 19 Fir or fake?

15 Mechanics St. Vineyard Haven

this holiday season By Allison Roberts Know your options By Allison Roberts

20 + 21 Holiday recipes

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Open 7 days a week

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to try this year

22 Happy Hanukkah

Childhood memories By Daniel Greenman PUBLISHERS: EDITOR: DESIGN DIRECTOR: ART DIRECTOR: GRAPHIC DESIGN: TO ADVERTISE:

Peter and Barbara Oberfest Connie Berry Kristófer Rabasca Dave Plath Nicole Jackson

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adsales@mvtimes.com 508-693-6100

N RM OW AN OFF EN ER T J IN EW G EL RY !

ON THE COVER: “Nordman Fir” at Polly Hill Arboretum, by Gary Mirando; garymirandophoto.com

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Bob Gatchell’s property on County Road is decorated for the season.

Don’t Miss MV TIMES

Vineyard Artisans Festivals

Friday, Nov. 24, and Saturday, Nov. 25, 10 am to 4 pm Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 am to 4 pm Agricultural Hall (Nov.) and Grange Hall (Dec.), West Tisbury Pick up unique holiday gifts created by Island artists at the Vineyard Artisans Festival. There is something for everyone, including fine art, clothing, jewelry, ceramics, journals, cards, woodwork, baskets, and much more. For details, visit vineyardartisans.com.

Oak Bluffs Tree Lighting

Saturday, Nov. 25, 6 to 7:30 pm Healey Square Celebrate the holiday season with the annual lighting of the Oak Bluffs decorated tree in Healey Square. Grab some hot chocolate, candy from Enchanted Chocolates, and other refreshments, then put on reindeer antlers and enjoy hearing carols and seeing the town center light up for the holidays. For more information, visit obamv.com.

Featherstone’s 21st Annual Holiday Gift Show

Daily through Sunday, Dec. 17, 12 to 4 pm 30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs A one-stop holiday destination with handmade gifts from Island artists, including paintings, photographs, pottery, crafts, jewelry, clothing, accessories, soaps, dog goods, ornaments, cards, calendars, and stocking stuffers. Closed on Thanksgiving Day. For details, visit featherstoneart.org.

World Market Holiday Shop

Daily through Sunday, Dec. 24, 10 am to 6 pm Capawock Theatre, Vineyard Haven

POSIE HAEGER

Featherstone’s Holiday Gift Show has a wide variety of artisan gifts.

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Enjoy a holiday pop-up shop in a historic theater that has been transformed into a winter wonderland. It features crafts from around the world, including Africa, Haiti, India, Palestine, and Peru. The market supports Island empowerment projects that make a difference globally. Closed on Thanksgiving Day. To learn more, visit worldmarketmondays.org.

Gatchell Holiday Lights

Daily through Sunday, Dec. 31, 5 to 8 pm County Road, Oak Bluffs For about 45 years, the Gatchell family has decorated their house with a massive Christmas light display, complete with reindeer, snowmen, and more than 20,000 sparkling lights. You are welcome to park your car and get out and walk around. You can also bring nonperishable food items or a monetary donation for the Island Food Pantry.

Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3, 10 am to 4 pm Aquinnah Town Hall

Shop for unique gifts and stocking stuffers, including wampum jewelry, origami cards, Native American crafts, knitted items, candles, fabric items, mosaic tiles, ocean jewelry, Aquinnah bottled clay, and more. A craft table will also be available for making ornaments and cards. For updates, visit facebook.com/aquinnahartisans.

Island Community Chorus’ Holiday Concert

Santa in a vintage fire truck during Christmas in Edgartown.

42nd Annual Christmas in Edgartown

Thursday, Dec. 7, to Sunday, Dec. 10

Saturday, Dec. 2, 7:30 pm, and Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 pm Old Whaling Church, Edgartown

benefit the Plum Hill School in West Tisbury. For more information, email hello@plumhillschool.com or call 508-696-7701.

Experience quintessential small-town hol‘There is no Room in the Inn’ iday shopping, with decorated storefront windows, an arts and crafts festival, horse- Crèche Displays drawn carriage rides, the lighting of the Ed- Saturday, Dec. 9, 12 to 4 pm, and Get into the holiday spirit with a “Sing gartown Lighthouse, a parade, a dog show, Sunday, Dec. 10, 11 am to 2 pm We Joyous!” concert from members of the store specials, and much more. For the Federated Church, Edgartown Island Community Chorus, along with dischedule, visit christmasinedgartown.com. rector William Peek. The repertoire ranges View over 40 miniature nativity scenes from America to Europe and to Africa. from around the world that range in Illuminate Mytoi It will include familiar Handel and Bach style from crystal figures to whimsical music, a Christmas spiritual song, a jazzy Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, characters. Children can take home an Hanukkah piece, and much more. For de- Dec. 9, 4 to 6:30 pm activity page that can be colored and cut tails, visit islandcommunitychorus.com. Dike Road, Chappaquiddick out to make a nativity scene. There will also be a silent auction in the lobby by Experience the magic of the season in a The Island Community Habitat for Humanity for items donated self-guided walk through a beautiful, luChorus performs a to them. For details, visit federatedminary-lit garden, which is maintained holiday concert in the churchmv.org or call 508-627-4421. by the Trustees of Reservations. Along the Old Whaling Church. way, you can write a message expressing a holiday wish or a hope for the coming M.V. Family Chorus’ 22nd year, then tie it to the winding bridge to Annual Winter Concert and share it with others. Hot cocoa will be Community Sing served. Register at thetrustees.org/mytoi.

Elves Faire

Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 am to 2 pm Federated Church, Edgartown

PHOTOS: MV TIMES

Decorate gingerbread houses, make beeswax candles, and shop for holiday craft kits, children’s books, handmade toys, and other gifts. Also enjoy a warm lunch at the Elves’ Café. All proceeds

Sunday, Dec. 17, 4 pm Hebrew Center, Vineyard Haven

Listen to songs of peace, hope, and light from the Martha’s Vineyard Family Chorus, directed by Roberta Kirn of Be Well Sing. For those who want to join the chorus, there are rehearsals on Wednesdays at the Charter School from 5:30 to 6:45 pm. For details, visit bewellsing.com/events or email roberta@bewellsing.com. k mvtimes.com

Furry favorites Pet-approved holiday gifts for your four-legged friends. BY NICOLE JACKSON

PHOTOS: NICOLE JACKSON

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rom the schedule changes, missed walks, fewer snuggles, and the continuous visits of the UPS driver around the holidays, our pets don’t always get the attention they typically do. The Island has a number of spots you might want to stop into to find a special gift for them — to remind them how much you love them.

Treats for pups

LEFT PAGE: Top, colorful leashes and collars at Good Dog Goods in Oak Bluffs. Left, Purple Paws dog treats for sale at SBS. Middle, homemade dog biscuits from the Black Dog. Right, Raw bone marrow from Reliable Market. RIGHT PAGE: Top, CBD treats for sale at Good Dog Goods. Right, Frozen doggie desserts for sale at the grocery store. Above, Christmas jammies for your pooch for sale at SBS.

There are a number of stores that offer homemade dog treats. The two Black Dog bakery locations in Vineyard Haven sell gourmet dog bones that look so good you might think they’re for people. Each colorful Christmas cookie is unique and costs range from $2 to $5 each. Purple Paws bagged treats are made by the MVRHS Voyager Program. Students make, package, and label the dog treats. They’re $10 per pack and all the proceeds go to Island Autism. You can find them at SBS, order online at sites.google.com/view/purplepaws/ home, or scan the QR code. MV Barkery also sells their cookies for a cause, also benefiting Island Autism. They are for sale at Mocha Mott’s in Vineyard Haven, Alley’s General Store, Juniper Gifts, and the Edgartown Visitor Center in flavors Pumpkin Passions. Squibnocket Sockets, and Peanut Butter Cowboys. You’ll also find them this

year at Christmas in Edgartown, with proceeds going to the M.V. Animal Shelter. For a treat that will really make your dogs’ howl-iday, stop by Reliable Market in Oak Bluffs for a couple of beef bone marrow bones. If you don’t see them packaged in their meat case, ask the friendly butcher (his name is Bob) and they’ll package a couple up for you. Store them in the freezer until you’re ready to share the treat with your dog — they’ll likely love it so much you won’t hear from them for hours. If you get the chance, take your pooch for a ride in the car to Good Dog Goods at the end of Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs so they can pick out their own holiday gift. The charming shop welcomes you and your four-legged friend to shop together. They have everything from CBD treats ($34.99), to dog play toys in just about every shape you could imagine. Collars, leashes, dog bowls, there are three rooms to explore, and a porch to hang out on after. Most dogs would love to take a ride in the car to go in and check it out. If you find yourself in a time crunch, pick up a box of doggie ice cream cups from Stop & Shop. They carry Purina Frosty Paws ($5.99), and Ben & Jerry’s Doogie Desserts with peanut butter ($5.99). Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 7 Smax Snax are unique and beautifully made horses treats.

Gifts for kittens

ELYCE RETMEIR

The upstairs of Healthy Additions has some cute cat toys, some of the catnip kind as well, if your cat can handle that kind of “strong stuff.” They carry an interesting cat (or dog) treat called Cod Skins ($18.79), which sounds tasty if you were a cat, right? SBS carries water dishes for your cat, and they have one that’s particularly popular that creates flowing water, which is easy to wrap up to put under your tree ($35.99). Don’t forget,

as far as most cats are concerned, any of the holiday decorations you’ve hung around the house qualify as cat toys — including the Christmas tree. And your cat would love to play with that cardboard box before it heads to the recycling bin.

For horses

PHOTOS: NICOLE JACKSON

Cod skins, crispy crunchy snacks for your cat found at Healthy Additions.

Just a couple of the cat toys for your kitty friends found at Healthy Additions .

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Horses love treats. From peppermints, candy canes, carrots, and apples to a good, soft groom, they enjoy being spoiled. Smax Snax are homemade treats made specially for horses, although I am sure they could be enjoyed by a dog or a hungry husband. They’re made by Elyce Retmeir using organic oat flour,

2023

molasses, and cinnamon as the base with icing and small sugar toppers to decorate them. She can customize the ingredients for any dietary restrictions, sugar-free training nuggets, supplemental treats such as garlic for fly control, and oils for weight/coat management. For the holidays, she decorates the treats with cute Santa faces, gingerbread men, Christmas lights, or candy canes on them. They can be ordered over the phone, Instagram or email, and offer free delivery. You can buy a bag of 6 ($10) or 12 treats ($20), an advent calendar ($50) or even a gift subscription ($20 month), with the theme changing each month. To place your order, call or text 508-9390584, on Instagram @smaxsnaxmv, or email smaxsnaxmv@gmail.com. If you don’t have a horse and are just stopping by the barn to share a little holiday cheer, it’s important to check with their owner if there are any treats they can’t have. It would be impossible to list all the great gifts for sale on the Island for your dog, cat, horse and more. Toys, jackets, collars, bowls, halters, even sets of puppy Christmas jammies. The spots to shop are the Black Dog, SBS Grain Store, Cronig’s Healthy Additions, and Good Dog Goods. You’ll just have to stop in to see for yourself, you’ll be sure to find that special gift for your favorite animals. k

Michael Blanchard

CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH THE MV MUSEUM First Friday at the Museum Friday, December 1 at 5pm

Member Shopping Discount Days Tuesdays in December

Winter Melodies with Jeremy Berlin & Rose Guerin Thursday, December 14 at 5:30pm

151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven | mvmuseum.org | Open Year Round

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GAMES

GALORE

Hop in at your leisure and explore the Island game store, the Lazy Frog. BY NICOLE JACKSON

The Lazy Frog game store in Oak Bluffs.

1. 2. 3.

1. Popdarts. An indoor game that’ll get you out of your recliner, a fun, versatile spin on traditional darts. 2. The Game of Baloney. Fibbing fun for the whole family. 3. Brain freeze. Draw a card and when the icon on two cards match, players race to answer the topic on their opponent’s card. 4. It’s Bananas! Just strap on a tail, warm up those thighs, spin the spinner, and win some bananas! 10 IslandHolidays

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5. 7.

8. 9.

PHOTOS: NICOLE JACKSON

hristmas just doesn’t feel like Christmas without a game or two. Party games, board games, card games —they all make the holidays a little more fun. There is something special about a brand-new, fresh-out-of-the-wrapper game, maybe it’s the confidence that you have all the pieces or cards without having to search through the couch cushions. They’re a great way to spend time with your family and friends. A welcomed positive distraction bringing people together. After the hustle and bustle of cooking, cleaning, socializing, they really bring you into the moment, plus a little friendly competition is healthy. Lazy Frog in Oak Bluffs has a gift for the entire family, something you can bring to a holiday party, Secret Santa or Yankee Swap, stocking stuffers, and they even have something to keep your pesky little cousin out of your hair for the holiday. With hundreds of games, puzzles, and more, we narrowed it down and shared some top picks of the family friendly games that might be nice to add to your holiday shopping list this year. The Lazy Frog, 42 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs. Hours of “hopperation” are extended between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so be sure to check their website, lazyfrogmv.com, instagram (@LazyFrogMV), facebook (The Lazy Frog MV). k

10. 11.

5. Wavelength. Party game to read each other’s mind. 6. Would you Rather? Always a fun game to see which is worse. 7. What do you Meme? Compete with your friends and family to create the funniest memes. 8. Shady Pets Card Game. Kind of like Clue and Uno except you have to deal with flying octopuses and naked turtles! 9. Rubik’s Cube. 10. Pick Your Poison, and Never Have I Ever. Family version card games to lighten the mood this holiday. 11. Vineyard-opoly and Jaws. You can never go wrong with the Vineyard-themed games! mvtimes.com

Around the

Give the gift of books written by authors connected to the Isla

ere it is, right in front of us, the Great American Feast, Thanksgiving, the beacon that next comes the gift-giving holidays, a sharing of things we hope others will love as much as we love giving them. There is nothing I love giving more than books, sharing ones I’ve discovered over the past year. And I love sharing books about or connected with this Island with friends and family, allowing them a closer look into this place where I knit myself into the future. Top of the list is Bill Eville’s “Washed Ashore,” telling of his full-time arrival on the Island, his weaving himself into the fabric of this community as a year-round resident, becoming part of a place he had experienced but not lived in. It’s a rich, wonderful read of passages in his life. Sherry Sidoti’s “A Smoke and a Song,” leans into self-discovery, the messages our bodies tell us as we deal with impending grief, loss, and living through life’s changes, digging into our own place and space to find answers. Charlayne Hunter Gault’s “My People: Five Decades of Writing About Black Lives,” is a chronicle of her reporting on the lives of Blacks from the American South to South Africa and points in between, a collection from an extraordinary individual telling exceptional stories. Vineyard Haven’s Rose Styron recalls her rich life in “Beyond This Harbor.” And let’s not forget Susan Branch’s newest, “Distilled Genius,” a gathering of wisdom saved over the years, rendered in her inimitable style. Thinking of telling your own story? Reach for Nancy Aronie’s “Memoir as Medicine,” a guide to telling your own story — and everyone has a story to tell. Destined to be big is “Vineyard Folk,” the coffee table book by Tamara Weiss and Amanda Benchley, profiling some creative folks who live here. Bold and beautiful, copies have been leaving the store with holiday gift intentions. For anyone interested in Island history, there’s nothing better than a Tom Dresser book. He has burrowed into the crevices of our history, uncovering stories of various times. His most recent is “Martha’s Vineyard in the Roaring Twenties: Radicals and Rascals,” though Tom has more than 20 books so you can choose your time or theme and find something. Mary Beth Keane’s “The Half Moon,” released this last year, was written largely here on the Island, as was Lynda Cohen Loigman’s “The Matchmaker’s Gift.” The first deals with the stresses of marriage and expectations, the second with one’s own expectations of self against a calling maybe too strong to ignore.

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Island resident Julia Spiro has two books with Island settings, “Someone Else’s Secret” and “Full,” both stories of young women coming to terms with their past. For those who have not read it, swoop in, pick up a copy of Geraldine Brooks’ “Horse.” The West Tisbury based Pulitzer Prizewinning author has crafted an amazing book, recounting race relations in pre-Civil War America, as well as those in our own time. The bottom two shelves of our Vineyard section are dotted with Island-related children’s books, including Rebecca Loescher’s “The Mermaid of Martha’s Vineyard,” Amelie Loyot’s “Vanessa, the Sea Serpent of Martha’s Vineyard,” and Cathryn Newton’s “Sweet Island Home.” If you have a middle reader on your list, nothing better than our own NY Times bestselling author, Gregory Mone, whose “Sea of Gold,” is the story of a

e Bookstore

Island — there are lots to choose from! BY MATHEW TOMBERS

There is nothing I love giving more than books, sharing ones I’ve discovered over the past year. And I love sharing books about or connected with this Island with friends and family, allowing them a closer look into this place where I knit myself into the future. 12-year-old who did not intend to become a pirate. Or give Jennifer Blecher’s delightful “Camp Famous,” where an ordinary girl works to fit in with kids her own age, though all are famous. While it feels faraway, summer will come and with it another barbecue season so what better than one of Chappy’s own Steve Raichlen’s books? His “The Barbecue! Bible” is, well, the barbecue bible. His books carry us back to summer even as winter swells around us. Speaking of Chappy, “Noah’s Rejects” by Rob Kagan recounts the joys and travails of living in paradise. Someone on your list likes a mystery? Crispin Haskins’ newest, “Exhibit Murder,” is on our shelves. Not to mention classic Philip Craig. Or how about Cynthia Riggs’ Victoria Trumbull, the nonagenarian murder-solving poet? She’s here, too. Romance? Holly Eger’s “Split Rock” is a perennial bestseller, as is T. Elizabeth Bell’s “Goats in a Time of Love.” Need a short read? Try “Tower House Tales” by Lindesay Aquino, bite-sized Island tales. Have a yen for a bit of poetry to give? “Sleeping as Fast as I Can” is Rich Michelson’s most recent, some lines dashed off, I’m sure, in his Campground cottage. Or how about Edgartown Poet Laureate Steve Ewing, two of whose books grace our shelves? At last count, we have more than 200 titles by Vineyard or Vineyard-related authors. Among them is something for anyone on your holiday gifting list. k Mathew Tombers is manager of Edgartown Books and an advocate for all things literary. mvtimes.com

Homemade for the holidays Shop until you drop without ever leaving the Island. BY ALLISON ROBERTS

kip shopping online or in big box stores this holiday season. Does Uncle Frank really need another pair of socks from Target? And doesn’t Cousin Toni already have a drawer full of gift certificates? Instead, purchase unique handcrafted gifts, while supporting artists and makers across the Island and beyond. Where to begin? Read on. Featherstone Center for the Arts Hop on over to Featherstone’s 21st annual Holiday Gift Show, running 12 to 4 pm daily through Dec. 17, and find paintings, photography, pottery, crafts, jewelry, knitwear, accessories, ornaments, cards, stocking stuffers, and more. “We have just over 100 vendors this year, some who are returning, and

some who are brand new,” said Bella Morais, Featherstone administrative assistant and gallery coordinator. “We’re also going to do two Sip and Shop nights after hours because we recognize that many people work past 4 pm or have young kids to attend to. So on November 16 and December 7, we’re going to remain open from 4 to 7 pm, so people can enjoy refreshments and shop.” (featherstoneart.org/holidaygiftshow. html) MV Made MV Made is an artist-owned local business, working in collaboration with Martha’s Vineyard makers. This year, they’ve added a few new artists from New England to their list of talented makers. Thoughtfully curated gifts

include raw local honey, delicious shortbread, MV Sea Salt, Martha’s Vineyard coffee, and no sugar-added jams. You’ll also find personal care items like Arnica body care with and without CBD, body lotions, aromatherapy heat packs, and eye pillows, as well as pottery, wooden serving boards, clothing, candles, jewelry, original art, and more. If you can’t get to the Vineyard Haven store, you can shop online, and create your own custom gift boxes. MV Made ships nationwide. For the holiday season, MV Made will have special Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday, and Cyber Monday Deals. Follow them on social media or sign up for emails for more information. Hours: Seven days a week after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. (marthasvineyardmade.com) Continued on page 15

POSIE HAEGER

Featherstone’s Holiday Gift Show.

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Charley Hoye on the potter’s wheel.

COURTESY OF AQUINNAH ARTISANS

Zachary Pinerio of Chappaquiddick Wood.

Jeff and Vika Ribs

COURTESY OF CHAPPAQUIDDICK WOOD

Vineyard Artisans Make sure to visit Vineyard Artisans’ 27th annual Thanksgiving Weekend Festival at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury, Nov. 24 and 25, from 10 am to 4 pm each day. You’ll find a variety of goods such as handmade sweaters, Island lavender, wood butcher-block cutting boards, leather goods, and more. Oh, did I mention there will be tasty food available too? A $2 parking fee goes to the Vineyard Artisans

Scholarship Fund. Can’t make the Thanksgiving Festival? No worries. On Saturday, Dec. 16, from 10 am to 4 pm, the 15th annual Vineyard Artisans Holiday Festival will be rocking at the historic Grange Hall in West Tisbury. There will be a local book signing booth with Island authors, along with a number of artists, including Sylvie Farrington. “Sylvie makes these wonderful pocketbooks out of vintage materials,” said Andrea Rogers, founder of Vineyard

COURTESY OF AQUINNAH ARTISANS

Artisans. “Also Cheryl George, who makes hand-knitted sweaters will be there, as well as Emily Fischer, who will have handmade goat milk soap.” Other artists include Cynthia Pareja, Zack Pinerino from Chappaquiddick Wood Company, and many more. Plus, Sweet Bites will be serving up some delectable goodies. Free parking and admission for the Holiday Fair. (vineyardartisans.com/welcome-to-the-vineyard-artisans-festivals.) Continued on page 16 mvtimes.com

Continued from page 15

World Market Mondays Holiday Shop at Capawock Help women and families across the world by purchasing art and other products at Capawock Theater in Vineyard Haven. “We have four different groups on the Vineyard doing global work to empower women and girls,” said Judy Lane, founder and president of Maasai Partners. “I help raise funds for a mobile medical clinic, education, scholarships, and women’s microfinance programs in Tanzania. Carolyn Stoeber supports artisans in Haiti. Dawn Moran works with Her Future Coalition, an organization working to rescue girls and women from human trafficking in India and Nepal, and Linda Cohen sells products from Palestine, the proceeds of which go to groups supporting peace in the Middle East.” There will be a wide selection of items for sale including clothing, jewelry,

homegoods, foods, toys, and ornaments. “It’s very magical,” Lane said. “We set up trees all along the walls with twinkly lights, and put tables on top of the seats to showcase all the products.” World Market will be open 10 am to 6 pm daily, from mid-November through Christmas Eve. (worldmarketmondays.org.) Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair On Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3, from 10 am to 4 pm, peruse and purchase a variety of arts and crafts at the Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair. “Most of our vendors are from Aquinnah and many are members of the Wampanoag Tribe. We also have some folks who don’t live in Aquinnah, but all are from the Island,” Gabbi Camilleri, founder of Aquinnah Artisans, said. “I started the Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair in 2018 to not only sell what I create, but to get the Aquinnah community together and sell what they create. We

have an incredibly talented community in Aquinnah, so my hope is to bring us all together and get the Island folks up here to do some of their holiday shopping.” Items that will be for sale at the Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair include wampum jewelry, pottery and ceramics, Native crafts, ornaments, cashmere and wool headwear, bottled Aquinnah clay, Island-made candles, paintings, and more. Plus, there will be a children’s art show and a fun craft table. After you’ve shopped, reward and refresh yourself with goodies from Orange Peel Bakery. Aquinnah Town Hall. Contact Gabbi Camilleri with any questions at Aquinnahartisans@ gmail.com. Visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/aquinnahartisans. There are Island gift-giving options aplenty, so help support artists and makers while purchasing unique handcrafted presents for your loved ones (or for yourself). Uncle Frank and Cousin Toni will thank you. k

Wampum jewelry.

Post cards by Gelefen Designs ath the Featherstone Holiday Art Show. POSIE HAEGER COURTESY OF AQUINNAH ARTISANS

Signature town soy candles.

Kristin Jennings’ pottery. COURTESY OF MV MADE

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COURTESY OF VINEYARD ARTISANS

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November 13th - December 17th from 12-4PM Daily Closed Thanksgiving Day Celebrate the holiday season while supporting Island artists and Featherstone! The perfect holiday shopping destination with gifts for everyone (and yourself) - handmade creations including paintings, photography, pottery, crafts, jewelry, knitwear, clothing, accessories, ornaments, cards, calendars and stocking stuffers. Buy local and support local artists all while supporting Featherstone as well! ‘Tis the season for supporting the arts community!

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What’s in a BY ALLISON ROBERTS

tree?

grew up in Upstate New York, and I can remember going out with my family to cut down our Christmas trees. My dad would grab an old rusty hand saw that lived in our garage and off we’d go. It snowed a lot back then and my brothers and I would weave in and out of rows of pine trees as snow piled onto our heads and onto the tree limbs. In my 30s, I did something I never thought I’d do: I bought a fake tree. I felt a little embarrassed by this for some reason — as if I’d broken some long-standing family tradition, or simply become lazy. But I was recently divorced, my child was only 3 years old, and I didn’t have the energy — or the heart — to cut down a tree by myself. On the Vineyard, we don’t have a huge selection of native pine trees to choose from. “There are red cedars and pitch pines,” Tim Boland, executive director of Polly Hill Arboretum, said. “White pine is also an option. It’s naturalized, which means it was introduced here and spreads, though it’s not invasive, but local native options are limited.” In Boland’s opinion, balsam firs are the best trees for Christmas. “They last for a long time before they drop their needles. They also have a really nice scent — sort of orange and eucalyptus.” The real vs. fake Christmas tree saga is ongoing. Every year I read (and hear) impassioned comments from both sides. Some people are die-hard real Christmas tree people, while others believe that reusing a fake tree every year is more environmentally sound. According to onetreeplanted.org, it’s more sustainable to cut down a real tree each year. That’s because most small-scale Christmas tree farms are sustainable, leaving certain sections open for harvesting every year, while keeping other areas closed to give younger trees a chance to grow. The other

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Memories and preferences abound when we choose our holiday tree

the Island carry them,” Boland said. “If you do buy a live tree, though, don’t just toss it, because you can use it for mulch or as erosion barriers on hillsides.” I was happy to hear Boland’s suggestions because I remember feeling sad when Christmas was over, not just because of the massive adrenaline dump, but also because my street looked like a Christmas tree burial ground. At the end of nearly every driveway, a dead Christmas tree, with tinsel still wound around some of its branches, could be seen lying in a heap with its needles scattered across the sidewalk. Looking back, I wish my dad had taken that rusty ax of ours and chopped up our tree to use as mulch for our meager suburban MV TIMES tomato plants. “All of the refuse districts have compost piles where you can dispose of side argues that buying a real tree and your Christmas trees,” Signe Benjamin, then throwing it away simply adds to membership and programs director of our landfills, where a fake tree can be Vineyard Conservation Society, said. reused for decades. There is another “Any tree waste should always go into option, however. compost. The other option is to maybe not “One thing people could consider buy a Christmas tree.” doing, is buying a small potted tree or I know. I know. It’s hard to let some an American holly bush, and decorating traditions go, but no one is saying you those,” Boland said. “Then after the have to. The consensus seems to be that season, they can plant them.” if you’re going to buy a real tree, just Planting in the winter may sound remember to find ways to reuse it if you strange, but it’s possible. “What you can can. Aside from making mulch, there do is cover the planting site with a board are a number of other creative ways to and straw to keep the ground from repurpose your Christmas tree. You can freezing,” Boland suggested. “Though it make a bird sanctuary with the boughs, hasn’t gotten that cold here in years, so insulate your beloved perennials, make you can probably get away with planting arts and crafts from the trunk, and so in January. Just remember to water much more. For me, I’m sticking with it four to five times a winter, because my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. evergreen trees are always leaking I’ve been carrying that tree around from moisture through their needles.” house to house for 26 years and it’s still If you still want that big old tree to put kicking. Well, maybe it’s losing some of in your living room, you’re in luck. “There its needles, but I love it because it has a are a lot of places you can buy Christmas history. It’s been with me through thick trees on the Island. Middletown Nursery and thin and I think I’ll keep it. k carries them — most of the nurseries on

“If you do buy a live tree, though, don’t just toss it, because you can use it for mulch or as erosion barriers on hillsides.” –Tim Boland

TOP 8

1. SCOTCH PINE 2. SUGAR PINE 3. WHITE SPRUCE 4. NORWAY SPRUCE 5. BLUE SPRUCE 6. BALSAM FIR 7. DOUGLAS FIR 8. NOBLE FIR

What’s your best selling Christmas tree? Fraser/Cook Fir

How many trees do you sell during the holiday season?

We sell approximately 200 trees, including to the town of Edgartown.

HOLIDAY TREES

We asked a pro, Patty Mundt, nursery manager at Donaroma’s, about Christmas trees.

Which type of tree do you buy for your family and why? Fraser fir because it’s long-lasting.

What’s the tallest tree you remember selling? 11 to 12 feet.

How should we take care of the tree so that it lasts longer? I would recommend a fresh-cut trunk before putting it into the stand, and keep refilling it daily or as needed.

Any safety tips?

Keep away from heat sources, because the tree will dry out too quickly and could become dangerous.

Do you also sell smaller trees, what might be called a “Charlie Brown” tree? Table top trees up to 3 feet.

Do you get many customers who wait until the last minute? We always have last-minute shoppers arriving for the holidays.

Do you have a favorite memory from selling a tree? The kids …. Their faces say it all!

VECTEEZY.COM

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From left to right, Paul Roberts, Mark Roberts, Allison Roberts and Santa.

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Joys of Holiday cooking

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A serving of The Times’ Christmas food stories and traditions.

Preheat oven to 350° Grease a loaf pan or use parchment paper. Cook onions in a frying pan until soft and translucent. Add chopped potatoes to the pan (to speed up the cooking time, put them in the microwave for a bit first) and cook until they are relatively soft and crisped up a bit. Remove onions and potatoes and put the bacon in and cook until lightly browned. Mix eggs, milk, herbs, Everything but the Bagel spice, and salt and pepper into a large bowl. Stir in shredded cheese. Pour mixture into pan, place sliced or crumbled bacon and croutons on top, and bake for about 20-30 minutes. If you have a larger baking pan, it may take a bit longer to cook through. I check mine here and there by putting a knife in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Optional ingredients to add: tomatoes, spinach, kale, feta, and olives. Serve with toast, scones, muffins, or any other carb that tickles your fancy. Oh, and don’t forget the coffee.

Holiday Egg Casserole BY ALLISON ROBERTS

hat I remember most vividly about Christmas as a kid is my brothers waking me up at 4 am, my parents begging us to go back to sleep until 6 am, and the adrenaline rush I got while opening presents. Food? Not so much. When I got a little older, I became more aware of family traditions, and the food linked to those traditions. My mother’s Christmas brunch egg casserole was my favorite. Though not gourmet or complex, it was delicious and comforting. My mom has been gone 16 years now and I miss her. Surprisingly, I had forgotten about her egg casserole until a few years ago, when my daughter and I made it one Christmas morning. It was bittersweet, but when I started whipping up the eggs, I felt as if my mom were right there with us.

Egg Casserole 6-8 eggs (more if you have a large group) 1/4 cup of milk, any kind you prefer 1/2 small sweet white onion, chopped 1/3 cup of fresh herbs of your choice (sage, rosemary, oregano), chopped dash of Kosher salt and pepper 3 or 4 strips of bacon (turkey, pork, or vegetarian) 1/2 cup (or more) cheese of your choice (I prefer shredded Cheddar) Croutons, homemade or store bought One to two red potatoes, chopped small Everything but the Bagel spice (optional)

20 IslandHolidays

2023

NICOLE JACKSON

Serves about 6

Super Moist Carrot Cake Crunch BY SHARISSE SCOTT-RAWLINS Carrot Cake 3-6 cups grated carrots 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup of white sugar 4 medium eggs 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (yes, you can use melted butter instead!) 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 tsp. nutmeg 1 cup crushed pecans (optional) 1 cup raisins (optional)

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Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

Peppermint Chocolate Pretzel Snaps BY NICOLE JACKSON Put the baking sheet with the chocolate topped pretzels into the oven on low heat until you see the chocolate just begin to soften and lose its form. When you see the chocolate Take pretzels and lay them flat on a softening, immediately take the tray baking sheet. Break each snack size chocolate bar in out of the oven and sprinkle the peppermint crunch on top before the half and place each half on a pretzel. Crush candy canes — this isn’t easy, a chocolate hardens. Put them into the fridge for a couple good technique is to place them in a bag minutes, or let them sit on the counter and whack them with a meat mallet, to harden up and they’re ready to enjoy! hammer, or a heavy canned good.

· Hershey’s snack size milk chocolate bars · Snyder’s Butter Snap pretzels · Candy canes

1 stick butter 1 package cream cheese 4 cups powdered sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract (Add 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream for a lighter frosting.) Preheat the oven to 350° (Dry Bowl) In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. (Wet Bowl) In a separate large bowl, add vegetable oil, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk. Add dry ingredients into the “wet” bowl, and also add carrots, (walnuts and/or raisins), and whisk until fully distributed. Pour the mixture into two greased and floured 9-inch round pans for a layered cake (or you can even make cupcakes!) Bake for 35-45 minutes (shorter time for cupcakes). Let cool completely. Take room temperature butter and cream cheese and put them in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, whisk until smooth, frost as desired. I like to add crushed pecans around the perimeter for an added crunch! k

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anukkah feels like the most family-focused of Jewish holidays I celebrate. So, despite technically being a “minor” holiday (unmentioned in the Torah), it’s highly anticipated. For one of our eight yearly nights of Hanukkah, my paternal grandparents host my father’s side of the family. A table of Hanukkah foods awaits. Holiday activities spur conversation, and more than Pesach, or Rosh Hashanah, the point is being together, talking a lot and leaving with something. However, considering Hanukkah’s length, most nights aren’t get-togethers. I remember the other nights allowing more space to consider the holiday’s basic elements. At my grandparents’, food is eaten, and gamified, immediately. This is with the dreidel, a top with a Hebrew letter on each side, and gelt, foil-wrapped chocolate coins. The game’s rules are simple, though may vary depending on who you ask. Each player gets 10 gelt, and contributes one to a pool in the middle. Going forward, when the pool reaches one or zero pieces, everybody pitches in one. Players then take turns spinning the dreidel. If the letter gimel comes up after spinning, you take the pool. For letter hei, you take half the pool. If an odd number of gelt is in the pool for hei, round up to the nearest whole number. For the letter nun, nothing happens. For letter

shin, you lose a coin to the pool. The winner is the last player left with gelt. When playing with children, of course give them some anyway. This game is roughly 200 years old, though began in some form in the 16th century as “totum.” Before Jewish adaptation it was an English and Irish Christmas game. And for a 2,000-year-old holiday, Hanukkah still gives a good amount of attention to novelty. My family might spin a crafted silver dreidel that seems like it’s been used for generations, or a bright plastic toy out of a 25-pack. When I consulted my parents, they also remarked that the gelt we use mimics U.S. coinage.

which is a branched candelabrum used in Jewish rituals. Just a day’s worth of oil was available, but they were able to light the menorah for eight days. Hence Hanukkah’s eight nights. On each of the eight nights, we light a corresponding amount of candles in the menorah, along with the shamash (“attendant”) candle. The shamash is lit first, and is used to light the others in order. Blessings accompany the lighting, with an additional prayer on night one. Those new to the holiday can do their best to sing along. When it’s just my nuclear family, on most nights of Hanukkah, I remember the menorah receiving a different kind of attention. Gifts given then are littler things that my parents saw; candy, or something they thought would entertain us. And I would thank my parents earnestly for these gifts, and quickly eat or Mad Libs them. But I remember on those nights focusing more on the menorah, for us a multigenerational object, and the several years of rainbow wax accumulated on it. The menorah is, of course, the holiday’s symbol, despite enjoyment of gifts or food. Its candles are not to be put out, but are to burn out on their own. It is a literally slow-burning reminder of moments successfully passed down within the family. Though Hanukkah is this article’s focus, it is worth noting that I celebrate Christmas with my mother’s side in Miami. Her late mother was Jewish as well. Hanukkah, operating on the Jewish lunar calendar, shifts each year on the Gregorian calendar, sometimes falling near Christmas. In how I celebrate both holidays, there are key similarities — excitement, gifts, candy, and a tree-like icon. Hanukkah may be lacking in TV specials. As much as I remember celebrations with my father’s side, I recall my maternal grandmother lighting her menorah just as well. When she clicked a lighter and led blessings, I saw her sealing in wax her 80th-plus Hanukkah. k

Hanukkah traditions at my house

What is different and the same through my eight nights.

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r an d I My brothe in ‘06. g n celebrati

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BY DANIEL GREENMAN The biggest piece is a chocolate Kennedy half dollar. “He was a nice Jewish man,” offered my mother. Hanukkah offers many more salty-sweet foods, like matzo ball soup with vegetables in a chicken broth. Challah looks excellent and is. Latkes are best with applesauce. Hanukkah gifts, though a highlight for many, have only been a tradition for about 150 years. My family gives larger gifts on night one, or when everyone gathers. But aside from gifts, games and food is Hanukkah’s historical justification. Like multiple Jewish holidays, it commemorates persecution and perseverance. As the story goes, the Jewish Maccabees freed Judea from Syrian-Greek occupiers in the second century BCE. As the Maccabees reclaimed Jerusalem and their temple, they had to build a new menorah,

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