Several parties were held around town on New Year’s Eve. The trend in recent years seems to be more toward family or neighborhood gatherings to welcome in the new year.

Woollcott and Leah Smith of Smith’s Lane held a New Year’s Eve dinner party for 40 of their friends and neighbors. Deny Wortman and his wife Marilyn hosted a large number of Island friends. Julia Humphreys of Briarwood Lane was the hostess of a New Year’s Day party for her many friends as was Binnie Ravitch at her Ice House Pond home.

Last Saturday night, traffic on the roads was nil as most folks gathered around a television set to watch the Patriots achieve an amazing milestone by a professional team; an undefeated season. They did and it was midnight before people went to bed thrilled to have witnessed history.

Tina Miller and her husband, Steve Gallagher, and their children, Theo and Henry, of Panhandle Road returned home last Monday after spending Christmas with friends in Palm Beach, Fla. Tina reports that they had a wonderful time.

Bruce and Mary Lu Keep just returned home from a Christmas cruise off Key West, Fla., with their oldest son, David, his wife Molly and sons Brit and Jamie. Mary Lu reports that it was a perfect five days off the Keys and Nassau. On their return trip they stayed with their son, Steve and his wife Dana and two young sons, Matthew and Ryan. 

Richard and Lauri Gayle McAuliffe and their children Shannon, Mave and Richard Jr. of Charles Neck Way, returned home yesterday after a 15-day holiday vacation on Hutchinson Island, Fla.

Steve Lohman and his wife Jenifer Strachan of Waldron’s Bottom Road returned home on Wednesday after ringing in the New Year in Boston. Jenifer’s birthday was on New Year’s Eve and what better way to celebrate it than the First Night activities. They marched in the parade and enjoyed the fireworks display at midnight over Boston harbor.

Mary Grasing of Vineyard Haven and Little Homers Pond Road reports that Ruth Dareck, her husband Adam, and son Mateo of New York city spent the holidays on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America. Ruth is a native of that chain of islands and they will be returning home on Sunday. Mary is looking forward to a visit there later this month.

The Hollinsheads had a full house over the holidays. Daughters Dana and her husband Ted Gill of Boston, Ellen and her husband Jeffrey Bergeron of Breckinridge, Colo., Anne her husband Ted DeCoursey and their children, Emma and Matthew, were visiting.

Russell Schubert of Tiah’s Cove recently returned home from Wyoming and Utah. He spent a three-month Rocky Mountain semester at the National Outdoor Leadership School. His Mom reports that it was a rigorous course that included mountaineering, rock climbing and back-country skiing, and that her son really enjoyed it. He will be returning soon to his studies at Johnson State College in Johnson, Vt.

Phyllis Meras of Music street returned home yesterday after spending New Year’s Eve in New York city. Sal Laterra reports that he took her to a Broadway play and the Metropolitan Opera. They attended several parties, saw the famous ball sliding down a pole in Times Square ushering in the New Year and watched a fireworks display in Central Park from their apartment.

Nick Puner of Briarcliff, N.Y., came to spend the holiday week at his home in Lambert’s Cove. He attended the Smith party on New Year’s Eve and returned home on Wednesday.

Shirley Mayhew reports that the family was together for the holidays. Christmas Eve dinner was held at their daughter Deborah’s house, and Christmas morning was at her son Jack and daughter-in law Betsey’s house. The annual oyster stew party took place at Deborah’s Christmas night. Patriarch John made a quick visit to the emergency room Christmas Eve, but recovered to enjoy all of Christmas Day.

Many folks in town have made New Year’s resolutions. Barbara Day’s is to clean up the cellar. Many of us pledge to lose some pounds and Lisa Amols is offering fitness classes at her studio on Tiah’s Cove Road. Call her at 508-693-1009 to see if there is any space available.

Dan Sharkovitz, director, and Inez Montanile, assistant director, of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s summer programs wish everyone a Happy New Year. For your convenience, new summer programs and sports clinics will be posted in February at mvrhs.org/clinics/.

On Jan. 14, 1949 the members of the Grange presented a three-act comedy, The Campbells are Coming, before a large audience in the Tisbury School auditorium in Vineyard Haven. All parts were exceptionally well-acted and were received with roars of enthusiasm by the audience. The Grangers who had parts in the play were Mary Smith, Marjorie Manter, Doreena King, David Engley, Albert Robinson, Fred and Donald Fisher, Alice Magnuson, James Alley and Virginia Rebello. Muriel Loud distributed the programs and Carol Drew was in charge of ticket sales. Costumes were assembled by Lillian Magnuson, assisted by Elizabeth Manter. Edna Robinson collected the proceeds from the homemade candy that was sold between acts by Ann Coleman and Jane Austin.

Happy birthday to  Erin Alwardt, Peter Kleeman and Karen DuMont today; Whit Manter, Lynne White, James Nelson, Grace Rouse and Fred Murphy tomorrow; Kern Grimes, Renee Bonnell, Bill Fielder and Ryan Tucker on Sunday; Ike Russell, Sam Hiser and Alexis Garcia-Holden on Monday; Joan Ames, Will Whiting, Lila Griswold an d Oliver Becker on Tuesday; Joyce Capobianco, Ann Burt, Diane Powers, Bill Solon and Shuva Seller on Wednesday; and Sam Arruda, David Gaskill, Vanessa Earl and Johnny Hoy on Thursday. Belated first-anniversary greetings to Akia Sharp and Wayne Miranda.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. Please call or e-mail me with your news. Have a good week.