… and that means our days are filled with phone calls, celebrations, and a whole lot of merriness. I for one am very happy, because (among many other good reasons) today, for the first time in years, I got a real Christmas present. All wrapped up and such. And it wasn’t just one present, but a couple of things that will help make my Christmas season next year real sweet again. Wrapped in pretty papers, I found things like …

• – spices (cloves and nutmeg), which are hard to come by here
• – a gingerbread house cutter kit (now you have to say that out loud to make it sound real good!)
• – a card game “Bohnanza,” which will be a perfect pastime for my students (though I’m afraid I might have forgotten the rules)

I hope, you are having a pleasant holiday as well. Cheers, and happy celebrating!