A not-overly-Christmasy Dining Section in the NY Times today, with some nice stories about eels, shrimp, Hanukkah doughnuts, home-made caramels, Sicilian oranges and a sassy take on last-minute holiday shopping at the liquor store.

A Brighter View Astern Than Over the Bow: Kim Severson gives a nice account of a Louisiana shrimper who is hauling it in lately.

A Sicilian Christmas with a Nod to the North: Marian Burros shares some Sicilian holiday traditions.

Out of the Fryer, Into the Lights: Julia Moskin writes another elegant story, this time about the fried doughnuts she and other fellow Jews have started favoring over the ol' jellied calf's foot and gefilte fish.

If It's Holiday Time, It Must Be Eel Season: Frank J. Prial follows a eel-fisherman into the Great South Bay of Long Island.

Two Sweets in One Pot: Mark Bittman gives us yet another take (see Amanda Hesser's article last Sunday) on making candy. This time it's traditional caramels, with the traditional plastic wrapping.

Last-Minute Bottles to Throw in the Sleigh: Eric Asimov has us laughing out loud again.