With November coming to a close, many of us are getting ready for the winter holidays. If you’re one of those people, or you just enjoy making desserts, here are a few holiday cookie recipes to enjoy.

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 stick of butter (at room temperature)

2 eggs

A generous pinch of salt

3/4 cups brown sugar

Frosting for decoration

Gingerbread man cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pour butter and sugar into a bowl and mix with a beater until creamy.

3. Beat eggs in another bowl, then add to mixture. Beat everything together.

4. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.

5. Slowly pour the dry mixture (flour, etc.) into the wet mixture (eggs, etc.), beating a little between each time ingredients are poured in. After everything is added, beat until fully mixed.

6. Roll the dough on a cutting board and cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutter.

7. Place cookies on cookie sheets, then place in the oven.

8. Bake for 15 minutes.

9. Let cool, decorate with frosting and enjoy!

Holiday Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter (at room temperature)

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

Cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat sugar together with butter in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, beat egg, then add it to sugar/butter mixture.

4. Add vanilla to mixture, then beat everything together.

5. Add salt and flour to mixture slowly, beating between each new ingredient you pour in.

6. Beat everything together, then roll into ball.

7. Roll dough on cutting board and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.

8. Place cookies on cookie sheets, then bake for 15 minutes.

9. Let cool, decorate with frosting and enjoy!

Colorful Biscotti

Ingredients:

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup butter (at room temperature)

A pinch of salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsps. sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter and sugar together.

3. Add vegetable oil and beat everything together.

4. Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add them along with vanilla to the original mixture and mix everything together.

5. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

6. Slowly add flour mixture to original mixture, then mix everything together well.

7. Pour in sprinkles and stir.

8. Butter a large cake pan, then spread mixture into it. The pan should be large enough that the mixture spreads thinly.

9. Bake for 20 minutes.

10. Take out, then cut mixture into thin, vertical pieces.

11. Put pan back in oven and bake for 15 more minutes.

12. Take out, let cool and enjoy.

With Zayn Malik’s departure in March from One Direction, one might have wondered how the pop band’s future albums would sound and sell amidst his absence.

No fears: One Direction is still doing fine. They took the top spot on the Billboard music charts with their first four albums, and they’re still in the race for number one with their newest album, Made in the A.M.–although, according to billboard.com, Justin Bieber’s Purpose is a close competitor.

As far as the actual music featured on Made in the A.M., the style isn’t that different from the boy band’s past hits. Most songs are upbeat with a few slower ballads, and more than half the lyrics focus on relationships and girls. The language is always clean and quite sweet, aside from one curse word featured in “A.M.,” from the deluxe edition.

Malik was definitely one of the more powerful vocalists of the group, but the other singers compensate for his absence. It’s almost as if nothing’s changed. If anything, the group’s vocals sound more structured and cohesive. If the group wants more vocal complexity and musical variety, Malik’s absence has left them at a loss. But that loss is so minuscule it’s practically irrelevant. If the group’s going for a fluid and simple sound, they’ve mastered it.

As with the other four albums, Made in the A.M. does get predictable at times. There’s a solo with one member, then a chorus with everyone, then more about each member’s ability to charm a girl and make her happy.

But little things save each song from blending together. “History” utilizes clapping as a beat, while “I Want to Write You a Song” features acoustic guitar sounds that serve as a strong, organic base for the whole song. This varies from the first song of the album, “Hey Angel,” which features a subtle instrumental or vocal melody that’s obviously technologically altered.

Overall, Made in the A.M. is well put together. It’s similar to the ones they’ve released in the past, but the members have grown and provide each song with a more mature sound. Despite rumors regarding the band’s temporary split, the group has left fans on a good note with something to hold them over until One Direction becomes fully active again.

Diwali, one of the most popular Indian festivals, symbolizes the power of good and light over evil and darkness. It is also representative of beginning anew. Lamps, fireworks, and lights are often displayed during Diwali celebrations to symbolize this.

Although students can’t light fireworks at the University of Oregon, Students of the Indian Subcontinent (SIS) will host a Diwali celebration this Saturday, November 7th, in the LLC Performance Hall from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“We want to invoke the spirit of new hope and new beginnings,” said Meghna Agarwal, co-director of SIS.

Agarwal hopes that the Diwali celebration on Saturday will bring in people from campus and the Eugene community, whether they have celebrated Diwali in the past or not, and raise awareness about Indian culture.

Diwali celebrations at the UO have attracted up to 200 people in the past. This year’s Diwali event will introduce a few new activities to the SIS Diwali celebration, including a sari tying station and the opportunity to try a sari on. (The sari is a garment about six yards long, traditionally worn by Indian women). There will also be demonstrations of the Garba dance, frequently performed during Diwali.

The celebration will be catered by Taste of India, who will provide food including samosas, a type of fried pastry filled with potato, and mango lassi, a yogurt-based beverage.

For Archana Sriram, SIS Director of External Affairs, the excitement of Diwali extends beyond the food and the dancing.

“Diwali’s really cool because you’re taking an inanimate object like light and it represents such a bigger idea,” Sriram said. “It’s being able to reflect on your past year and knowing what you want to change- what you want to continue. It’s a new start- a place to revaluate stuff about your life.”

Sriram emphasized that when she was younger some her favorite things about Diwali were the materialistic ones, like receiving money or new clothes. As she grew older, though, she recognized the festival for its symbolic value.

Sriram said the celebration also connects her to her roots and allows her to meet people from similar backgrounds as her.

The event is free and open to the public. The SIS groups also host other events throughout the year, including Bollywood movie nights, a culture night called Utsav, and an annual celebration of the spring festival Holi.