This year, one of the favorite Christmas gifts I received was not a dick in a box, but a cupcake in a jar. It was the day after Christmas. Daisy and I had a lot of catching up to do. We went to one of the bars that did not exist when I still lived in Portland, ME. I hid from a fellow high school classmates for a variety of reasons. I drank more beer than I should have for reasons I will not say. I was told things I cannot repeat. But then I was invited to see Daisy's new apartment. I went. It was lovely -- complete with views of the bay and with a cute pug who loves to cuddle. As I was leaving, she handed me two jars. Each jar was jammed with cupcake. I was told she had baked the cake in the jar. When the cake jars were removed from the oven she screwed on the lids. As the cakes cooled, the vacuum sucked the lid down and preserved the cupcake freshness. The cupcakes can be kept, unrefrigerated in the jar for up to six months. We say, can now, frost later.

[hats off to Cupcakes Take the Cake]