Cavendish Update 1/2/26: Traditions/News/Events
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HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wondering what to do with your Christmas tree, strings of lights that no longer work, or have a present you know you’ll never use? Check out the Cavendish Green Holiday Guide for ways to recycle, repurpose and clean up after the holidays. And if you don’t have anyone to regift the present that’s not quite you, store it, as before you know it, we’ll be preparing for the 2026 (16th anniversary) of the Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale on July 25th.
1/2/26
1. Cavendish Christmas Tradition
2. Cavendish Related News
3. Events Calendar
1. CAVENDISH CHRISTMAS TRADITION: On Christmas Eve, Peggy Svec shared the following story about her husband, Rich, who was town manager of Cavendish for almost 30 years.
" Every Christmas Eve at around nine o’clock, he’d put on his Santa hat, grab his Czechoslovakian grandfather’s sleigh bells and climb into his pickup truck. Then for the next few hours, he’d drive through our two villages of Proctorsville and Cavendish and out along our winding, rural back roads. Throughout his travels, he’d ring those sleigh bells out the driver’s side window, no matter how cold it was, bellowing, “HO, HO, HO”, all along the way.
The endearing motivation for his Christmas Eve tradition was to give doubting youngsters one more year of believing and precious childhood, hopeful anticipation, as they nodded off to sleep. He also felt our “oldsters” might smile, remembering back to their youth when they believed and were filled with wide eyed wonder, innocent anticipation and childhood joy!
2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
• Respiratory Weekly Report: The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid and flu concentrations in Ludlow waste water were rated “very low” for the week of 12/14-12/20, though higher numbers are expected in the next report due to the influx of tourists. The VT Department of Health has said Flu season is beginning to ramp up in Vermont as medical experts warn of what to expect in the new year following spikes in neighboring states, particularly in New York. This year’s flu strain is thought to be more virulent than previous years.
• Crime Watch: A car was broken into Christmas night in Cavendish village along Main St. The owner's Christmas presents were taken. Click here to learn ways to prevent car break ins.
• CHS Briefs: The Cavendish Historical Society January Briefs are now on-line and include a preliminary schedule of events for 2026.
• William Raveis Vermont Properties welcomes Brendan McNamara: Cavendish resident and former town manager of Cavendish and Ludlow, Brendan has become a realtor with Raveis. VT Journal
• Police release new details on Ludlow officer-involved shooting: Vermont troopers said a Ludlow police officer shot and injured a man at about 6:15 a.m. Thursday at the Fox Run Inn on Main Street, just outside of Ludlow’s downtown. WCAX
• Plans for Pot Belly Pub: The Pot Belly Pub in Ludlow was demolished on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The owners of the lot, Okemo5 LLC, have plans to construct a new 78-seat restaurant in this location, with two additional stories, which will contain one two-bedroom and one three-bedroom apartment on each floor.
• The Book Nook is Moving: The Book Nook in Ludlow is planning to move from Main St. to its new home 3 Lamare Square between January 19th and mid-February. They will be closed during this time.
• Cheaper meds and fewer ‘forever chemicals’: New Vermont laws take effect Jan. 1: This year’s list includes a ban on so-called “forever chemicals,” stricter campaign finance requirements, cheaper outpatient drugs and a higher minimum wage. VT Public
3.EVENTS
JANUARY 5 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Budget meeting 6-8 pm at the Town Office
JANUARY 12 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Monthly Meeting 6:30 pm at the Town Office.
JANUARY 19 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King’s Day, Legal Holiday
FEBRUARY 7 (SATURDAY): CHS workshop: Write an 18th Century Valentine. The workshop will include: writing with a “quill pen,” examples of letters written for Valentine’s Day, folding the letter and sealing it with wax. 1-2:30 at the Cavendish Library
FEBRUARY 14 (SATURDAY): Happy Valentine’s Day
FEBRUARY 15 (SUNDAY): Cavendish 3rd quarter taxes due. Note, you have until Monday Feb. 16 to make payments.
FEBRUARY 16 (MONDAY): President’s Day, Legal Holiday
FEBRUARY 28 (SATURDAY): CHS Workshop: In keeping with Black History Month, this workshop will include screening portions of Ken Burns’ American Revolution series on the role of black patriots, the Ethiopian Army, and two Cavendish patriots-Peter Tumbo and Prince Robinson-who had been enslaved and made their way to Cavendish after the war. 1-2:30 pm at the Cavendish Library
MARCH 14 (SATURDAY): CHS Workshop- Celebrating Women’s History month, this workshop will discuss the role of women in the American Revolution and will include screening segments of the American Revolution series. This workshop will include a “taste of history,” where “Liberty Tea” will be served.