The Vine - Holiday Gift Guide 2023

THE

VINE

VINEYARD GAZETTE MEDIA GROUP | HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

2023

Holiday Gift Guide Wine: $20 and $50 Bottles Bracelets & Books Bread & Chocolate Sixteen Candles

FREE

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CONTENTS

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VINE

Features

2023 HOLIDAY GIFT & SHOPPING GUIDE • Christmas Every Day • Candles Offer More Than Light • Joy to the Vineyard • Every Bracelet Tells A Story • A Guide to (Liquid) Holiday Cheer • Food for Thought • Books, Please PAGE 13

Departments 4 EDITOR’S NOTE

5 HOLIDAY POP-UPS AND FAIRS 8 Q&A

The Music Director: An Interview with Abigail Chandler

25 BY THE NUMBERS That's the Spirit

26 INSTA ISLAND The Year in Photos

Cover Photo: Holiday window box designed by Renee Clermont of Second Nature Designs.

Photo by Ray Ewing.

From the Editor

WELCOME TO WHOVILLE

I

f the Grinch’s heart can grow three times in size, then we can all hope to be buoyed by holiday cheer this year. Lucky for us, we live in a veritable Whoville of holiday activity.

Why, there are fairs and pop-ups galore (page 5) and Christmas in Edgartown just like days of yore. (Okay, that’s it for the Seussian rhymes.)

But truly when The Minnesingers take the stage at the Old Whaling Church (read more about director Abigail Chandler, page 8) for two nights on Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9, it will be hard not to feel joyful about living in a community like ours.

That’s why our annual holiday gift guide (page 13) is dedicated to supporting our local businesses – and to spreading a little joy as well. To that end, we checked in with the experts: Ingrid Goff, who spreads goodwill at her North Tisbury store, Tending Joy (page 18), and John and Claudia Bradford, who’ve been operating The Christmas Cottage in Oak Bluffs for 50 years (page 14). We added a healthy selection of wine to keep spirits high (page 20) and rounded up gifts for all, from books to bracelets, candles to chocolate.

All that — and our thanks to every Vineyarder who helps make the season merry and bright.

EDITOR Susie Middleton ART DIRECTOR Jared Maciel CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bennett, Sissy Biggers, Chris Burrell, Molly Coogan, Ray Ewing, Laura Holmes Haddad, Louisa Hufstader, Thomas Humphrey, Jeanna Shepard PUBLISHER Jane Seagrave GENERAL MANAGER Sarah Gifford DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Skip Finley | sales@vineyardgazette.com SALES TEAM Frederica Carpenter, Carrie Blair, Isabela Fernandez, Serena Ward MARKETING MANAGER Alessandra Hagerty AD PRODUCTION Jane McTeigue, Jared Maciel, McKinley Sanders Copyright 2023 by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

To subscribe to the Vineyard Gazette, visit vineyardgazettestore.com Vineyard Gazette Media Group P.O. Box 66, 34 So. Summer Street, Edgartown, MA 02539 thevine@vineyardgazette.com | 508-627-4311

- Susie Middleton

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Holiday Pop-Ups and Fairs November 11 to December 24 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Capawock Theatre 43 Main street, Vineyard Haven

HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW

November 13 to December 17 noon to 4 p.m.

Featherstone Center for the Arts 30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs; closed on Thanksgiving

ISLAND MADE HOLIDAYS AT GAYLE GARDENS

HOLIDAY OAK BLUFFS MARKET

HANDMADE FROM THE HEART

AQUINNAH ARTISANS HOLIDAY FAIR

30TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN EDGARTOWN ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

November 24 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Strand Theatre, 11 Oak Bluffs avenue, Oak Bluffs

Saturday December 2 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday December 3 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Aquinnah town hall, 65 State Road, Aquinnah

CHRISTMAS FAIRE

November 17 to December 24 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gayle Gardens (formerly Heather Gardens) 377 State Road, West Tisbury

December 9 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

First Congregational Church of West Tisbury 1054 State Road, West Tisbury

VINEYARD ARTISANS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

MORNING GLORY FARM CHRISTMAS IN EDGARTOWN OPEN HOUSE

November 24 and 25 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Hall, 35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury

December 9 12 to 3 p.m.

Morning Glory Farm, 120 Meshacket Road, Edgartown

December 9 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dr. Daniel Fisher House, 99 Main street, Edgartown

December 9 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Edgartown School 30 Edgartown-West Tisbury Road, Edgartown

Susie Middleton

WORLD MARKET HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP

PLUM HILL SCHOOL ANNUAL ELVES FAIR

December 9 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Federated Church, 45 South Summer street, Edgartown

VINEYARD ARTISANS HOLIDAY FAIR

December 16 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Grange Hall 1067 State Road, West Tisbury

ONLINE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WEST TISBURY HOLIDAY SILENT AUCTION

December 1 at 9 a.m. to December 9, 6 p.m.

Online at wtcongregationalchurch.org and items on display at Christmas Faire, December 9

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Christmas in Edgartown Holiday Pop-Up Store

Organized & Operated by MV High School Students

SUPPORT OUR HIGH SCHOOL! Buy products made locally and by students.

Limited edition MV Clothing ~ Festive Foods ~ Furniture MV Glassworks ~ Artisan products and more!

Free Refreshments ~ See Santa!

Location: Mad Martha’s Scoop Shop, Edgartown December 7-10 Thursday & Friday 3pm - 8pm  Saturday & Sunday 11am - 8pm Proceeds go to our MV High School Student Activity Fund Thanks to Mad Martha’s for donating the space!

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Q&A - VINEYARD VOICES

The Music Director

An Interview with Abigail Chandler

BY SISSY BIGGERS • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD Abigail Southard Chandler, performing arts department chair at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has been making beautiful music on the Island all her life. Born in a “hippie farmhouse on Lambert’s Cove Road” and raised on Chappaquiddick, she is a proud product of Martha’s Vineyard public schools, quick to credit her many teachers who contributed to her music education — from Mr. Wilson in the second grade at the Edgartown School to Robert Nute, who served as music director for 29 years at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. It was Bob who urged her to pursue degrees in music education and music performance at Ithaca College, after which she completed a masters in music with an emphasis on opera at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

In 2009, Abigail joined the MVRHS

music department as assistant director, assuming the director’s role in 2018.

Today perhaps her most recognizable role is leading the school’s elite choral group, the Minnesingers. This year on Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9, the Minnesingers will return for their holiday concert to the Old Whaling Church — the very stage on which Abigail herself performed at the chorale’s first holiday concert 27 years ago.

Q. Even before you were a Minnesinger you were an accomplished flutist in the band program.

A. I started with the band program where I was a flute player all the way through, and it was Bob Nute who suggested I audition for Minnesingers.

I was one of those kids who could have gone either way in high school. I was

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smart, but I was a terrible student and I loved my music stuff. Bob Nute was really instrumental in keeping me focused and is the reason I ended up doing anything of value with my life!

Q. Is there someone in your family from whom you inherited your musical chops?

A. My grandfather enjoyed singing, but not in a professional capacity.

My mom and stepdad have been my biggest supporters since kindergarten — and I don’t think they’ve missed a performance in 40-plus years, from New York to North Carolina to Italy.

Today they are always in the audience watching my students. Without them, no musical chops would have blossomed.

Q: What kind of musical experience did you have in Italy?

A: In the summer of 2001 I attended an Italian language and opera program in Urbania run by Oberlin Conservatory.

We studied Italian during the day and sang the rest of the time. I had a small part in Puccini’s La Rondine.

We performed dozens of recitals for surrounding towns. It was magical!

Q. Is there one musical “tuning fork” of a performance that you still recall?

A. I think the culmination of it all was my role as Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute at UNC Greensboro. The technical challenges of singing that role were really the pinnacle — a truly magical and wonderful experience.

Q. After all your training, did your professional aspirations take you off-Island?

A. I was here on the Island waitressing to get ready for my big move to New York City…met a cute guy…made the move to New York. It quickly became apparent that it wasn’t the lifestyle for me — the hustling and the auditioning. I grew up on Chappaquiddick, so New York was not where I was going to be living my best life! Plus there was the cute boy (now husband, Curtis Chandler, a detective with the Edgartown police department).

Q&A - VINEYARD VOICES

Q. It’s almost cosmic that you returned to the Island to teach at the high school that meant so much to you!

A. Yes, that’s the thing. People ask me if I feel like I’ve made the wrong move because I should have been a singer. But this is absolutely 100 per cent the life I was meant to live. It’s a hard job, but that [musical] piece was so important to me in high school, and to be able to be that person for the next generation of kids is really beautiful.

Q. You clearly get the best out of these teenagers. How did you develop your distinctive, sprightly style of musical direction?

A. For 14 years I have worked to create a language that works for me and these kids — through my hands and face. I love the music I choose, and I love hearing them perform it. What I do with my arms is just a way of getting the right sound to match the music, beyond the usual conducting techniques I was taught. When they’re well prepared and we’re connected, it’s like playing an instrument: a gesture creates the right sound and we’re performing the music together.

Q. What can we expect from this year’s Christmas in Edgartown concert?

A. There is a lot of tradition built into these 27 years of holiday performances at the Old Whaling Church. We do carol singalongs, which is really, really fun, and we end every show with alumni joining – a highlight being the Hallelujah Chorus with singers coming up on stage from as far back as the original group in 1968. It’s a moment that always gives me chills and now I see a lot of my own students come up too!

Q. How do you freshen up your program every year?

I start with the kids in front of me and their skill level. And this year we are looking at a travel year. This spring we are going to Austria and Germany, so I like to grab a couple of pieces from those countries.

Q. What does it take to mount this spring concert trip?

A. None of this could happen without the Minnesingers parent group who raise funds for half of each kid’s trip. They plan out the fundraising and support all the performances —

Full circle: Abigail Chandler is grateful to be able to give back to teens some of the skill and passion she learned from her music teachers at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.

especially the Christmas concert — which includes the wonderful tradition of a feast downstairs at the Old Whaling Church after the performances.

Q. What’s the hardest part of the job and the best part of the job?

A. The hardest part is the rigorous schedule; I have kids, a husband, dogs, chickens and it takes a lot of extracurricular time. The best is being able to give these kids that missing piece that so many of them

are looking for. High school can be brutal; I remember it well. And when they come in here they find a place where they belong. This is where these 28 kids come together and make something beautiful that is greater than any one of us, something that we can gift to our audience.

Sissy Biggers is a regular contributor to the Vine and a frequent contributor to Martha’s Vineyard magazine.

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Ray Ewing

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Holiday Gift & 2023 Shopping Guide The Vine’s holiday gift guide is our annual plea to shop local. It’s not a hard sell, we know. It’s way more fun to poke in and out of shops on Main street or to visit a holiday fair or pop-up than it is to sit in front of a computer. Supporting our friends and neighbors who are artisans or who own small businesses is a nobrainer. The biggest challenge to local shopping, it seems, is to refrain from buying a gift for yourself every time you buy one for someone else! But that’s a risk we’ll gladly take if it means keeping our dollars right here in our Island community.

This year, we’re also venturing off Main street to look for unusual gifts at one-of-a-kind shops, nurseries, farms and even liquor stores. We’re looking forward to meeting the shop owners if we don’t already know them; we know they’re eager to help us find the right gift, whether it’s a fancy bracelet, a great book, or a bottle of wine. And that’s the kind of personal help you won’t find on the Internet.

Don’t forget, many Island businesses offer gift certificates, too. So, no more worries about finding the perfect gift. There’s something out there for everyone – and for you.

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Christmas Every Day Claudia and John Bradford offer Christmas cheer and Vineyard spirit at their dockside Oak Bluffs shop.

BY THOMAS HUMPHREY • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD When John and Claudia Bradford, owners of the Christmas Cottage shop in Oak Bluffs, came to Martha’s Vineyard in 1972, it was only supposed to be for a summer vacation.

“I was in the army for three years,” John said in an interview with the Vine, surrounded by twinkling LED Christmas lights, glittery ornaments and jolly portraits of Santa Claus. “I said, ‘let’s go to the Vineyard for the summer before we head back to the real world.’ And we never went back!”

The Bradfords relocated from their home outside of Boston to live yearround in Oak Bluffs, and for nearly 50 years now, the couple has maintained the only Christmas-themed souvenir

shop on Martha’s Vineyard.

But as John recalled, it didn’t start out that way.

“At the time, we didn’t think anybody would buy Christmas stuff in the middle of the summer,” he said. Their first shop on Circuit avenue sold a wide assortment of Vineyard souvenirs.

“But we found some neat Christmas ornaments and we put them out. They were gone in like a week. So the next time we went looking for things, we brought over more. And it kind of built from there.”

After relocating the store to Edgartown for a time, they got the opportunity in 1979 to move to their current location at Dockside

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Marketplace on Circuit avenue extension. By then, John said, they decided to focus almost exclusively on Christmas items — though the couple does stock a few Halloween items in October.

“The location’s great and you can’t beat the view,” he said, pointing out the open door to Oak Bluffs harbor, relatively serene during the quiet autumn.

But it’s not just the view that makes the location in the Dockside Marketplace so great; the spot has been ideal for the clientele it brings.

Hy-Line Cruises, which ferries passengers over from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs from May through October, disembarks right outside the shop.

The Christmas Cottage is often the first shop visitors see. The holiday focus of the shop helps it stand out from other souvenir and T-shirt shops.

The shop’s theme is “a memory of the Vineyard to treasure at Christmas,” John said. And that motto drives the unique blend of products at their shop. Gifts often blur the line between Christmas cheer and Vineyard spirit.

“We’re always looking out for something new or different,” he said of their selection. One of their newest best-selling items is a series of nautically-themed Christmas ornaments — lobster claws painted and topped with a Santa Claus hat.

But the cornerstone of their

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

collection is a Christmas classic, the Byers’ Choice line of caroler figurines.

“People are big collectors of these,” John said. Figurines run between $80 and $100. And the Christmas Cottage carries specially made Vineyardthemed carolers.

Unlike most holiday stores, John pointed out, the Christmas Cottage does the lion’s share of their business in the summer. They are open every day from mid-May through October. After a short break through Thanksgiving, they open up again on weekends through Christmas, when more locals come by to pick up holiday essentials.

The Bradfords stay busy when the store is closed too, operating an online shop (handworksgifts.com) that allows them to ship as many as 150 boxes

a day at Christmastime. “It’s a lot of work,” John said, adding that he plans to slow down the website business in coming years.

But even as they slow down on the Internet, the brick-and-mortar Christmas Cottage isn’t going anywhere. Now 78 years old, John said he doesn’t see himself hanging up his Christmas hat any time soon. After five decades in the yuletide business, he still doesn’t get bored.

“There’s always a challenge or something new coming up,” he said.

“You get to meet people from all over the world…I don’t have any reason to stop now.”

Thomas Humphrey is a reporter for the Vineyard Gazette.

At the Christmas Cottage, Claudia and John Bradford (opposite, top) specialize in Vineyardthemed Christmas ornaments and decorations. Their best-selling items include the Byers' Choice line of carolers (above) and Harbour Lights collectible lighthouses (top).

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Candles Offer More than Light And there’s one on this Island for literally every personality on your holiday gift list.

BY LOUISA HUFSTADER • PHOTOS BY LOUISA HUFSTADER People have been lighting their nights with candles for more than 2,500 years.

As if to proclaim humanity’s victory over darkness, the word “candle” itself comes from the Latin verb for “to shine.”

Even in our electrified era, when it’s easier — ­ and, generally, safer — to switch on the overhead or a lamp at nightfall, the flickering glow of candlelight still casts an age-old spell.

The difference today is that candles have cleaned up their act. Instead of burning animal fats (pew, ancient Romans!) or low-grade paraffin wax from petroleum (thank you, Industrial Revolution), they’re increasingly made from higher-grade paraffin, classic — but costly — beeswax or nontoxic waxes from plant oils.

Candles also have become more than just a way to pierce the gloom: they help us celebrate, pray, remember and persevere — especially in winter, when daylight dwindles and spring is on the other side of the world.

For all these reasons, candles make perfect holiday gifts for practically anyone old enough to be trusted with matches. Even better, they’re easy to find and come in prices for any budget.

A recent stroll through Island shops revealed a multitude of candle choices, from simple tapers for candlelight dining to intricately-carved beeswax pillars, crystal-enhanced aromatherapy candles and massive, multi-wicked creations in handmade containers.

Colorful or pure white, scented or smokeless, ceremonial or silly, standing, stacking and even floating — the choices are practically endless,

and the price range is wide.

A single taper can cost less than $2, and while it’s possible to spend hundreds on a huge, sculptural statement candle, most gift candles in Island stores run from around $6-$10 to less than $70, depending on size and fanciness.

If all you need is a taper or two for your dining room table, there are still a lot of options. LeRoux and Mardell’s in Vineyard Haven are just two of the Island stores that sell open-stock tapers in assorted colors to match your decor.

You can find boxed and bundled taper sets in a variety of styles and even shapes: multicolored African creations at Tending Joy in West Tisbury, or hand-dipped tapers at Seven Sisters, striped ones at Off Main and uniquely

teardrop-formed Swedish versions at the Beach House, all in Vineyard Haven.

The Beach House also is known for its seasonally-changing display of handmade, fragrance-free candles in a rainbow of colors, made by a Pennsylvania artisan who has been supplying the store for close to 40 years.

At Rainy Day on Main street, seasonal candles abound: pumpkin spice, white spruce and the famed Thymes Fraser fir scent, to name a handful. The Trust Shop, also on Main street, carries aromatherapy candles including its own signature scent in coconut wax. The Green Room carries the Enlighten brand of scented soy candles from Arizona.

Vineyard-made candles include a

THIRD WORLD TRADING

SEVEN SISTERS

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soy wax line from MV02557 in scents such as Washashore (pistachio, heliotrope and vanilla), Hydrangea and Fisherman’s Pipe, sold online and at shops including Stefanie Wolf Designs in Oak Bluffs and Martha’s Vineyard Made in Vineyard Haven. Martha’s Vineyard Made also has its own line of candles, named for the six Island towns and available solo or in gift sets.

Other Vineyard-themed jar candles, at shops such as Rainy Day and Coastal Supply Co. in Vineyard Haven, include Entering Martha’s Vineyard and latitude/longitude candles, made with coconut wax, and the Vineyard Scent Co. line in soy wax with aromas such as lavender and Coffee Shop.

Inkwell, Menemsha and Haven are scented beeswax candles that honor the Island’s history as a retreat for African Americans. Introduced this summer by Manhattan-based lifestyle company Sanctuaire, they’re available at several Vineyard boutiques.

Jubilee in Oak Bluffs has been featuring the Harlem Candle Company line, which evokes the uptown of Duke Ellington’s day with a vintage Harlem nightclub map inside each box and fragrances named Billie [Holiday], Langston [Hughes] and Josephine [Baker].

Also on Circuit avenue, Third World Trading carries the Surf’s Up line of candles, packaged in pint-sized paint cans with aromas like Ocean Breeze, Island Moon, Peace on the Beach and Pumpkin Latte, while Sanctuary has a wide assortment that includes Vineyard town candles, candles with crystals, meditation candles and

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

candles among other brands including the popular P.F. jar candle line from California. Vaalbara owner Emily Burrows also has introduced an original line of eight-ounce soy candles with fragrances she helped create, such as White Lights and Golden Fire.

Across South Water street, the eclectic Salte boutique has quirky candles shaped like giant Xanax tablets, color-block candles that stack on each other and a candle to repel the evil eye.

Sea Legs, on Dock street, carries the

Moodcast line of fragranced candles in iridescent holders: Beach Vacay, Girls Trip and His Pillow are among the choices.

The Suka boutique on Main street carries luxury candles from Coreterno and Brooklyn Candle Studios, while nearby Past & Presents has taper bundles in vivid colors.

For more luxury fragrances, visit Nevin Square on Winter street, where the Glass House carries Addis VIV candles and Mikel Hunter has

BEACH HOUSE

JUBILEE

THE TRUST SHOP

Jeanna Shepard

candles for mourning.

Middletown Nursery in West Tisbury has selections from South Carolinabased Candlefish, which makes 100 unique fragrances identified by number alone. No. 18, for instance, is described as “fresh waterlilies layered with ozone and delicate jasmine,” while No.60 combines peach, mint and basil with lavender, citrus and sage.

Edgartown shops with interesting candles include Vaalbara Supply, which carries the Sanctuaire beach

MIDDLETOWN NURSERY

OFF MAIN

LE ROUX

selections from the Votivo line.

Beyond the boutiques, you’ll find candles at many other Island retailers as well, from drug and grocery stores to nursery shops and SBS. “Please don’t do coke in the bathroom” reads the label on a candle at Untameable Gallery in Edgartown; the quirky shop-showroom also has aromatherapy candles with crystals and herbs and hand-poured, rustic platter candles with multiple wicks and delicate aromas.

Even Bunch of Grapes Bookstore has several candle lines, including humanist votaries of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Albert Einstein and other thought leaders; a series of scented travel candles called Aged Page, Fine Print and First Edition; and a set of jar candles with authorial aromas named for Hemingway and Shakespeare.

One thing about candles that hasn’t changed since ancient times is the danger they pose when they burn.

Even the humblest votive or tea light has the ability to fuel a destructive inferno with startling speed and ease, given just the wrong circumstances: a billowing curtain, stray newspapers, dried greenery nearby.

The standard warning remains the best: never leave burning candles unattended. But for those who want the flickering glow of candlelight without the safety risk, electric or batteryoperated candles are the answer.

Mardell’s in Vineyard Haven has battery-operated tea lights tucked into its sprawling Yankee Candle display, while Granite Hardware in Edgartown carries electric window candles and recently stocked some colorful sets of four floating battery tea lights in watertight plastic luminaries with designs by Louis Comfort Tiffany and other artists.

Flame or bulb, what really matters is to make a little light.

Louisa Hufstader is senior writer for the Vineyard Gazette.

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Joy to the Vineyard A visit to Ingrid Goff-Maidoff’s West Tisbury shop, Tending Joy, will raise your spirits this holiday season.

BY LOUISA HUFSTADER • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD Tending Joy, on State Road in West Tisbury, is a shop that truly lives up to its name. Owner, artist and poet Ingrid Goff-Maidoff has filled the historic former North Tisbury post office with colorful artwork, gifts and books to refresh the weary soul.

“We have so many beautiful places in nature to restore us. This shop, I want to have a similar effect,” Ingrid told the Vine.

“We walk at the beach and we fall back in love with the natural world.

Here, I want us to remember the goodness of humanity, because there are a lot of good people still out there, creating beauty, loving each other,” she said.

“This is a celebration of that in the human spirit.”

Ingrid sources Fair Trade goods wherever possible. Haitian hammered-metal ornaments, African and Moroccan decorated candles and Indian block-print paper are among the many imports she’s chosen in a wide range of prices.

Opened in November of 2020 amid pandemic lockdowns, Tending Joy began as a gallery for Ingrid’s writing and artwork, which she had been selling for 25 years at Vineyard shops and fairs.

“This is my new chapter,” she said.

Ingrid’s books include The Bliss of Being and Simple Graces for Every

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Meal. She has also created a series of colorful gift packets filled with affirmative words: One Hundred Inspirations, One Hundred Blessings and the like.

To complement her own work, she looked for items with similar moodboosting qualities.

“I started going with anything that I thought was beautiful and artisanmade and Fair Trade and anything that celebrates the human spirit and creativity,” Ingrid said.

She also listened to her customers — including some who literally wanted to buy the shirt off her back, which had been a gift from her daughter, she said.

“I called the company, which is a

Fair Trade company, and ended up carrying their line and a few others,” Ingrid said.

“That’s how the shop sort of blossomed and evolved.”

With Christmas in mind, Tending Joy is well stocked with handmade ornaments from around the world, many of them connected with philanthropic projects.

The shop, at 697 State Road, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ingrid also sells her own work online at ingridgoffmaidoff.com.

Louisa Hufstader is senior writer for the Vineyard Gazette.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Every Bracelet Tells a Story Choose a Vineyard gift that will never go out of style.

BY SUSIE MIDDLETON Look on any Islander’s wrist and you’re likely to see a story. Sure, it might just look like a bracelet, but to the wearer it’s a memory — of a special person, an important occasion or a favorite place on the Island. The Vineyard is blessed with many talented jewelers who’ve been practicing their craft on the Island for so long that many pieces have become classics — the charm bracelets and tie bracelets from C.B. Stark, trilogy bracelets from Stefanie Wolf and of course wampum jewelry from many talented artists.

Needless to say, it’s not just Islanders who appreciate a piece of the Vineyard; a bracelet is a lovely gift for anyone with sentimental ties to the Island.

Here we’ve gathered four ideas to get you started, but we also recommend visiting the Vineyard Artisans Festivals and the Featherstone Holiday Gift Show for more Island-made jewelry (see p. 5).

Stefanie Wolf’s trilogy bracelets in stunning colors have long been popular gifts on the Island. But this year, Stefanie introduced a new version of the bracelet – a limited edition (1) 1 Pride Progress Rainbow Bracelet ($52) that features all the colors of the Pride Progress flag. From each purchase, $26 will be donated directly to Youth Pride MV, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth on Martha’s Vineyard. Stefanie Wolf Designs, 37 Circuit avenue, Oak Bluffs; stefaniewolf.com.

Maybe this is the year you gift someone a lifetime of collecting by presenting them with (2) 2 a charm bracelet from C.B. Stark. Manager Sarah York says she most often recommends purchasing the bracelet with 1, 3, or 5 charms for starters.

(Odd numbers offer balance.) The C.B. Stark signature toggle charm bracelet

in sterling silver is $195 and comes in three lengths. Sterling silver charms range from $60 to $150. C.B. Stark, 53A Main street, Vineyard Haven and 10 Main street, Edgartown; cbstark.com.

Longtime Island shopowner Claudia Canerdy proudly carries (3) 3 an exquisite selection of wampum bracelets made by Island artisans in her two namesake stores. A wampum bracelet is an iconic Vineyard present, one that honors the natural beauty of the Island and Indigenous Islanders.

Claudia’s current stock includes bracelets by Vineyard craftsman Adam Thibodeau, who incorporates handmade gold beads into some of his work (from right, $2,900, and $6,500), a popular panel-style bead design in a bracelet by Tracy Leigh Adams (second from left, $640), and this bracelet by Michael Brady, which is latched with an Island-shaped button (far left, $600).

Claudia, 51 Main street, Edgartown; 34 Main street, Vineyard Haven; claudia. jewelry.

For many years, Susan Balaban has 4 stone bracelets been selling her (4) at the Vineyard Artisans Festivals.

But the jewelry represents more than beauty and style to her; Susan believes in the healing powers of the natural world. Through her studies of feng shui, astrology and Buddhism as well as her knowledge of gemstones, rocks and minerals, she is able to bring together her love of stones and well-being. Bracelets range from $35 to $185. Find Susan Balaban Designs at Vineyard Artisans 27th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend festival and online at susanbalabandesigns.com.

1

2

3

4

Susie Middleton is editor of The Vine. Thomas Humphrey contributed reporting.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 19

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

A Guide to (Liquid) Holiday Cheer For gift giving or serving at your holiday gatherings, here are great wine and spirit picks at two price points.

BY LAURA HOLMES HADDAD Celebrations, gatherings, gift giving— the December holidays are when we’re looking for those special bottles.

Whether it's a wine to pair with a family dinner, a unique mixer for a festive holiday cocktail or a glass of bubbly to toast the new year, we’ve got you covered with thoughtful selections in two different price points available on Island. (And don’t forget: MV Wine & Spirits and Jim’s Package Store can special order almost any bottle for you. Just ask.)

MV Wine & Spirits). This dry sparkling wine is wonderful for a holiday event and tastes well beyond its price tag.

Another go-to sparkling wine that is perfect alone or as a cocktail mixer is Gruet ($18.99, Jim’s Package Store and Our Market). This dry sparkling wine consistently ranks among the best value

Another choice for the white wine lover in your life is the 2021 Saracina Unoaked Chardonnay ($21.99, Tony’s Market) from Mendocino County. This is a great value, a bright Chardonnay that tastes just as good sipped on the couch as it does alongside a turkey dinner or stuffed quahaugs.

red that is perfect for sipping by the fireplace or for pairing with a rack of lamb.

THE $20 BOTTLE Sparkling Sparkling wine means anything bubbly that isn’t made in the Champagne region of France. This translates to a lot of options across all price points. Our favorite is the 2020 Raventos Blanc de Blancs, a cava from Spain ($19.99;

Mixer

sparkling wines, and the backstory is sure to be a conversation-starter: Gruet Winery is located in New Mexico and the bubbly is made in the traditional Champagne winemaking method.

White A crisp, lovely white from Sicily, the 2021 Murgo Etna Bianco ($19.99, MV Wine & Spirits) is a food-friendly wine that might surprise you. With floral and lemon flavors, this white will go with any Island seafood you serve.

Page 20 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

Red The 2019 Masi Campofiorin ($19.99, Our Market), a medium-bodied red blend from Northern Italy, is the perfect pairing with food, whether it’s venison stew or a bowl of pasta with red sauce. A wonderful gift for the foodie in your life.

Another good option is the 2019 Cline Sonoma Coast Syrah ($17.99, Jim’s Package Store), a fuller-bodied

Locally-made mixers from the restaurant group Quahog Republic make an excellent gift as well. Packaged in glass bottles, the perfectly-spiced Bloody Mary Mix and the sweet and tangy Margarita Mix ($9.99, MV Wine & Spirits and Our Market) pack a flavor punch — with or without alcohol.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

THE $50 BOTTLE Sparkling For a special occasion bubbly, the best bet is a Champagne. While it’s less well-known than some of the other Champagne brands, Canard-Duchêne Brut Champagne ($48.99, Our Market) is consistently ranked one of the best values. This is a lovely Champagne to toast the holidays or serve alongside a platter of oysters.

If your host is more of a Francophile, the 2022 Sancerre Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy ($49.99, Our Market) is just the thing. This is the quintessential French white made by a family that has been making wine since the 1600s.

It will pair perfectly with seafood, particularly oysters on the half shell.

And don’t forget the beer lovers in your life. Tuck a bottle of Maine Beer Company’s fruity and floral Lunch Pale Ale into their Christmas stockings ($7.60/16.9oz, Our Market).

Red

White Merry Edwards was one of the first women winemakers in Sonoma, California and her wines continue to impress decades later. The elegant 2021 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($55, MV Wine & Spirits) is wonderful sipped alone or paired with pork, chicken or seared scallops. This is a special gift for the white wine lover in your life.

Another wonderful option from California is the 2020 Ridge East Bench Zinfandel ($48.99, Our Market).

Ridge Vineyards sets the standard for Zinfandel and this bottle is special enough to impress your in-laws without breaking the bank.

Peay Vineyards is a boutique winery in Sonoma, California, known for their Pinot Noir and Syrah that sell for upwards of $100. The 2020 Cep Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($45, MV Wine & Spirits) is their “second” label and this fruit-forward, balanced Pinot Noir is the one to buy for the Pinothead in your life. It will also pair perfectly with a Christmas roast or a mushroom tart.

Spirits & Ale The Botanist Islay Gin ($49.99, MV Wine & Spirits, Jim’s Package Store, Our Market) is a spectacular gin from Scotland made from 31 different botanicals. It comes in a gorgeous textured glass bottle and would make a wonderful gift for a martini lover or to elevate that house gin & tonic. Just add a bow and head out to the party.

Wine To Go To go along with a favorite bottle of wine, give your wine lover one of these YETI Rambler Martha’s Vineyard 10 ounce stainless steel wine tumblers ($42, The Green Room).

Laura Holmes Haddad is a frequent contributor to The Vine and the author of Anything but Chardonnay: A Guide to the Other Grapes.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 21

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Food for Thought It’s hard to go wrong with a gift of provisions.

BY SUSIE MIDDLETON

1

Molly Glasgow

There’s one person left on your list.

Neither a bracelet (page 19) nor a book (page 23) nor a bottle of wine (page 20) seems like the right gift. What to do?

You can’t go wrong with food — or a gift certificate for food — especially if you turn to Island artisans, farms, and shops for inspiration. Chocolate, bread, oysters, spices — now we’re talking. And if one of the four ideas on this page still isn’t quite what you’re looking for, visit the winter version of the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market on Nov. 18 and Dec. 16 at the Agricultural Hall between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and shop for Martha’s Vineyard Sea Salt, Island Bee Honey, and many more delicious local products. Find these vendors and more at a variety of other holiday fairs as well (p. 5).

For the gift that keeps on giving, 1 The Grey Barn CSB consider (1) (Community Sustained Bakery), a ten-week subscription of baked goods happening January 9 to March 13, 2024. This year, for five of the weeks, participants will receive two loaves of bread. For the other five weeks, participants will receive one loaf of bread and one specialty pastry. For each CSB membership purchased, Grey Barn will bake one additional loaf of bread for the Island Food Pantry every week. The CSB includes a Grey Barn swag bag. The cost is $225 for 10 weeks. For more information, visit thegreybarnandfarm.com.

2 the dark A perennial favorite, (2) chocolate Almond Butter Crunch from Enchanted Chocolates is now a required stocking stuffer in many Vineyard households. This crunchy, buttery, almond-studded toffee topped

2

Linda Cohen

3

Susie Middleton

4

Page 22 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

Susie Middleton

with 70 percent dark chocolate is sold in 8-ounce packages for $16 (craft tie bag) and $17 (holiday gift box). Enchanted Chocolates can be found at the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market, the Holiday Oak Bluffs Open Market, at their Oak Bluffs store at 4 Chapman avenue, and online at enchantedchocolates.net.

For enthusiastic cooks, the gift of fresh, fragrant spices is always welcome. At Olive Branch Fair Trade in Vineyard Haven, you can find a 3 line of spices from very special (3) Diaspora Co. Diaspora offers highquality, single-origin, whole and ground spices from south Asia, and the company is committed to paying suppliers at a rate (to guarantee a living wage) three times more than Fair Trade prices. Olive Branch carries Diaspora’s whole cinnamon sticks, whole green cardamom pods, ground turmeric, black pepper and fennel seed ($12 to $15 per tin), packaged in Diaspora’s signature pink and orange tins. They also carry bags of Diaspora’s single-origin rose petals ($36) and ground cacao ($40).

A swell idea for seafood lovers is (4) 4 a gift certificate to Cottage City Oysters in Oak Bluffs. Starting at $25, gift certificates can be used towards purchasing clams and oysters (and other seafood such as lobsters and scallops when available), or even towards booking a tour of the oyster farm. Purchase online at cottagecityoysters.com/new-products.

Susie Middleton is editor of The Vine.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Books, Please Baker, boater, writer, designer, dreamer — a book for everyone on your holiday list.

BY MOLLY COOGAN Sure, I may be a bit biased, but when it comes to buying gifts, I guarantee your local, independent bookstore has something for everyone on your list. Booksellers are always happy to recommend a wonderful best-selling novel or memoir, but this holiday season, we’ve also got some recommendations that will make special gifts for book enthusiasts of all stripes.

There’s already been a lot of excitement about Beautiful Bread: Create & Bake Artful Masterpieces for Any Occasion (Rock Point, $24.99), the new cookbook by local baker within the interior design industry.

And what would a Vineyard gift guide be without a nautically-themed offering? On the Water: A Century of Iconic Maritime Photography from the Rosenfeld Collection (Rizzoli International Publications with Mystic Seaport Museum, $65) would be a stunning addition to any sailor’s

Theresa Culletto. Pair the book with a date to attend one of her popular classes on the Island, and you’ve earned gift giver rock star status.

The interior design aficionado on your list will swoon over the inspiring Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers (Abrams Books, $50.00),

by June Reese and presented by Black Interior Designers, Inc. (BID), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion

library.

For the writer in your life, Rupi Kaur’s Writing Prompts (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $25) are boxed and giftable card decks of inspiring

exercises from the best-selling poet and literary phenomenon. Available in Balance, Gratitude, Self-Love and Relationships editions, you may even want to grab one for yourself.

And let’s not forget about the kids on your list. A Whale of a Time: Funny Poems for Each Day of the Year (Nosy Crow, $40), edited by Lou Peacock and illustrated by Matt Hunt, is a delightful collection of 366 poems by the likes of Maya Angelou, Nikki Grimes, Ogden

Nash, Langston Hughes and many more, including works in translation, sure to be cherished by readers of all ages for years.

Molly Coogan is co-owner of Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 23

Page 24 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

THAT'S THE SPIRIT

BY THOMAS HUMPHREY • ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS BURRELL

300 STOCKING STUFFERS. The Red Stocking Fund Charity, founded in 1938, began with six handknit and stuffed stockings given to local children. As of 2021, 300 children receive gifts from the fund each year.

CHRISTMAS IN EDGARTOWN 2000

The number of Christmas in Edgartown programs printed on the Vineyard Gazette press in 2022.

150 MARITIME CHEER. Standing at 18 feet tall, Sandy Fisher’s cherished lobster pot Christmas tree in Edgartown takes 150 traps to construct each year.

125

Total Christmas in Edgartown events that took place in 2022.

42

46

Edgartown businesses that offer online shopping as part of Christmas in Edgartown.

MERRY ON MAIN STREET. Last year, 42 parade floats and Island groups marched down Main street, Edgartown for the 41st annual Christmas in Edgartown parade.

$50,000 HOLIDAY GIVING. Christmas in Edgartown celebrations raised more than $50,000 for Island nonprofits last year, according to the Edgartown Board of Trade, benefiting 38 organizations.

6

P.M. - the exact time that the Edgartown Lighthouse will be lit on Friday, Dec. 8.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 25

INSTA-ISLAND

Top Photos 2023

@vineyardgazette To more than 30,000 followers – many of whom love the Vineyard from a distance — @vineyardgazette is a daily dose of Island inspiration. It’s not surprising, then, that many of the most popular photos of 2023 are views over water and of wildlife in nature — including a shark, a whale and, well, a kitten (the not-so-wild new denizen of Bunch of Grapes Bookstore). Iconic locations — ­ the newly reopened ArtCliff Diner and the Chappy Ferry — are popular, too. If you haven't already, be sure to add @vineyardgazette to your Instagram feed.

Tim Johnson (@timmjaws)

Wayne Smith (@dukestermv)

Jeanna Shepard (@jeannashepardphotography)

COLIN HURD (@shep_hurd) Lightning strike in Menemsha during a June squall.

Ray Ewing (@ray.ewing)

Tim Johnson (@timmjaws)

Larry Glick (@larryglickphotos)

Ray Ewing (@ray.ewing)

Page 26 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

Larry Glick (@larryglickphotos)

Gifts for Everyone on your List!

Sports • Games • Family Fun

18% Off any ONE regular priced ITEM

coupon good from 11/24/23-12/15/23 discount excludes prior purchases, Vineyard-Opoly, Lego and Spikeball in store only, one coupon per customer

Deck the Walls!

Head to the Old Sculpin Gallery during Christmas in Edgartown and shop for one of a kind gifts, wreaths and small works created by artist members Friday, December 8 5-7pm

The Lazy Frog

1

42 Circuit Ave Oak Bluffs www.lazyfrogmv.com (508)696-HOPY Celebrating 18 years of fun!

Your # Island Game Store







Saturday, December 9 11am-3pm

Across from the Chappy Ferry

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 27

O P E N

E V E R Y

D A Y

THE ONLY ISLAND GROCERY STORE THAT SELLS

BEER & WINE

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Coffee Snacks • Wine • Beer • Groceries • Deli

Deli Online Ordering > > >

MOVING SALE Furniture, Lamps, Gifts, Antiques *Shipping Available* 37 & 42 Main St, Edgartown 508-627-6686

508-693-4799 • 119 Dukes County Ave, Oak Bluffs tonysmarketmv.com Page 28 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

Shop Local this Holiday Season at the Vineyard Artisans Festival

Even Santa needs help sometimes!

Take 20% off any one item!

(Excluding LEGO and Magna-Tiles)

27th ANNUAL

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND FESTIVAL

Fri. 24 & Sat. 25: 10am - 4pm FEE Ag Hall West Tisbury • $2 PARKING for MVRHS Scholarship Fund

16th ANNUAL

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

SAT. DECEMBER 16: 10AM- 4PM Grange Hall West Tisbury

Offer expires 12/24/2023 Limit: one per customer 79 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven • (508) 693-8182 • tisburytoybox.com

2023

vineyardartisans.com

Representing 70 Island Artists & Artisans

For a full list of artisans, and to see their work, visit

www.vineyardartisans.com

508-693-5550 www.THIRDWORLDTRADING.com 52 CIRCUIT AVE. OAK BLUFFS

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 29

GREAT Stocking Stuffers The Island’s Best Greeting Card Selection Beautiful Gift Wrapping As always, fast friendly prescription service

DRIVE-THRU WINDOW

DAIL DELIVE Y R AVAILA Y IS BLE!

RED STOCKING DROP OFF BOX

WEST TISBURY | 508.693.7070 | 459 State Road HOURS: Monday thru Saturday 9–6 • Sundays 9–1

448 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 • 508-862-2727

ISLAND MUSIC GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC

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$7

AND UP RECORDERS

OFF-ISLAND PRICES! Martin, Yamaha, Seagull, Roland, New & Used, Vinyl & Turntables, Posters & Memorabilia, Live Sound & Recording Gear, and much more!

GUITAR AND PIANO LESSONS • ISLAND MUSIC T-SHIRTS

THE COMPLETE MUSIC STORE 10-6 MON-SAT • 11-5 SUN • 58 MAIN STREET, VH • 508-693-8596

Page 30 · THE VINE · HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023

• Trouble handling family conflict?

• Communication needs improvement?

• Difficult conversations with co-parent, spouse, siblings, or adult children?

Our family and divorce mediation team members are fully qualified in Massachusetts to support families with all aspects of conflict resolution.

With decades of experience and many successful self-determined agreements, our family mediation program is here to help.

WE CAN WORK IT OUT!

mvmediation.org 508.693.2999 • info@mvmediation.org

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023 · THE VINE · Page 31

M erry and B right�

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Island homes for boating, partying, gardening, and hosting family and friends.

Forty-nine migrants were shipped to the Vineyard in a political stunt.

Four have made it their home.

You’ll find something for everyone at vineyardgazettestore.com.

While you’re there, subscribe to the Vineyard Gazette or Martha’s Vineyard Magazine, or get a copy of one of our other magazines.

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