Editorial: Full of festive cheer

The end of the year is fast approaching, so it is time to start thinking about taking stock of 2010 and deciding on some New Year's resolutions. The latter should obviously be very firm at this point in time, but in less than two months are sure to have been pretty much forgotten. One resolution you should be sure to keep is to renew your RSC membership to make sure you keep receiving Chemistry World  in the new year! 

It is also time to think about presents to buy for family and friends. We are always advised not to leave it to the last minute - so in an attempt to help you out, we at Chemistry World  have decided to pool our resources and provide you with the best presents the web can offer for the discerning chemistry fan - keep an eye on our blog at www.chemistryworld.org/blog over the coming weeks for a mix of the interesting to the extravagant, the playful to the downright daft. And feel free to chip in with your suggestions! 

Not forgetting of course that the festive season is also the party season, we've got a fantastic feature article with a Christmas twist, as we delve into the chemistry behind all those cocktails you'll be quaffing over the coming weeks. We even throw in a couple of chemically interesting cocktail recipes (experiment responsibly, dear readers). If you're looking to continue the festive theme, perhaps turn to page 20 where you can read how researchers have made leaves glow by infusing them with bio-LEDs - it might be a few years before they can replace those pesky Christmas tree lights, but it's a start.  

In our Christmas book reviews you'll find some excellent stocking fillers. To stick with a Christmas staple, those of you with a fondness for chocolate shouldn't miss Chocolate science and technology, or if you're more adventurous in the kitchen then the molecular gastronomy of Ferran Adria - allegedly the best chef in the world - in Modern gastronomy A to Z  is the book for you. Looking forward to next year, 2011 is the International 

Year of Chemistry and we'll be anticipating the chemical sciences increasingly taking centre stage over the next twelve months. We'll be doing our bit in the pages of Chemistry World, and bringing you chemistry from around the globe with an international flavour. If you've got an interesting story from working in other countries or with collaborators from around the world we'd love to hear it email us at Chemistry World

But for now, enjoy the holidays and the last Chemistry World  of 2010, and we'll be back in the new year with the best news and views in the chemical sciences. 

Bibiana Campos Seijo, editor