Never fear! We've put our theses aside for a few hours and have braved the cold and snow to bring you this last update before the new year. Issue 12 is still putting us though our paces but is nevertheless right on track. So, if we're lucky, we'll be seeing the fruits of our labour in 2012.

For now, we're bringing you a smorgasbord of features to tide you over for the festive season. We have a double State of the Arch update with two pieces on a similar theme. Patrick Hadley discusses the issues surrounding setting up Mesolithic Miscellany and the world of open access journals, while Doug Rocks-Macqueen questions whether commercial journals are really value for money at a time when so many organisations are willing to offer content to their readers for free.

We've also got two reviews for you: a book review of Kennet and Winterhalder's Behavioral Ecology and the Transition to Agriculture, as well as a review of the exhibition held at the University of Nottingham this year on Roman Sexuality: Images, Myths, and Meanings.

Last but by no means least, we've cornered another assemblage friend and got them to answer our ever-famous 20 Questions. Don't pretend it's not your favourite feature.

And with that, we're all off to get a bit merry at the archaeology department's Christmas party. See you next year!