Doing Christmas

With the help of one of my favorite food writers I've figured out what to make for friends-and-neighbors treats this year. Homemade smores parts:

• Homemade graham crackers
• Homemade marshmallows
• Chocolate bark (some studded with bits of dried cherry, and some with bacon)
  

Another joy of being on sabbatic is being able to really do Christmas. J is a real peach for holidays; being with him has really reinvigorated (reanimated?) Halloween, for instance:




And I've always dug Christmas, but he's made Christmas a lot more fun too. So being able to do more for Christmas -- instead of furiously grading and dealing with plagiarists and other screwballs right up until Christmas eve -- is especially sweet.