But before we get to the e-mails from the past few weeks, I want to invite some future e-mails from you for this year's "Light up the Sites" contest.

As has become a yearly quest, I'm asking for your help in finding the best holiday Web pages.

All sites for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan or other religious or seasonal celebrations will be considered.

Send an e-mail or postal letter with your favorite holiday site, along with a brief explanation (50 words or less) explaining why it's the best.

I'll include all submitted sites in the Friday, Dec. 19 column.

And, as a bonus, the page that's judged the best (overall theme, design, content and ease of navigation) will win an appropriate holiday prize.

Entries must be received by midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 16 to be considered.

Send e-mails to SiteSeer2K@aol.com subject: Light Up the Sites Contest.

Snail mail (postal letters) should be sent to Light Up the Sites Contest, Cincinnati Post Living, 125 E. Court St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

And now on to this month's letters. As if to prove that the Internet has indeed made us all neighbors, I received this letter in response to a column about cheeses:

• www.cheesefromspain.com "I am a publicist for the Trade Commission of Spain. I just came across your great column when my clipping service sent me your Oct. 10 article. I thought I'd let you know that we have a very informative website on Spanish cheeses.

So informative in fact, that had the folks at cheesenet.info visited, they'd know that Cabrales is not also known as Picon. They are actually different cheeses -- similar, but definitely not the same. Cabrales is wrapped in green foil, is made in the mountains of Asturias, and is wildly robust and complex -- one of those "love it or hate it -- no middle ground" varieties.

Picon is frequently wrapped in leaves, hails from the Picos de Europa and is much smoother and more buttery on the palate than Cabrales. Both are truly impressive cheeses and well worth discovering if you're a lover of blues.

Consumers can always ask to see the Denominacion de Origen, or "DO" sticker on cheeses from Spain to make sure they are getting the what they think they're getting. Or better yet, ask for a taste and go for what you like.

I'll email the cheesenet.info guys and thank them for featuring our cheeses.

We also have a Web site on Spanish olive oil:

•  www.oliveoilfromspain.com -- In case you like olive oil as much as you like cheese. Kind regards from a fellow cheese-o-phile, Holly Hansen."

• www.circussmirkus.com -- From cheese to peanuts and cotton candy. This brief (very brief) e-mail followed a column about fun with the circus that ran Nov. 3. They wrote: "Enjoyed your column about circus. Try circus smirkus. Kids -- and they are astounding."

Outstanding is right. There are camps and classes for young performers and some great weeks for families. Even if you don't want to join the circus, if you're going to be in the New England area next summer, you might want to catch one of their performances but book early, I hear they often sell out.

• www.DIYnetwork.com -- Finally, a quick note from the folks at the Do It Yourself Network. They have a newly updated site with a new address as well. The redesign offers new categories and more features as well as an easier navigation system.

It's great for looking up the programming schedule, reading the how-tos one more time before you start a project or just finding inspiration.

Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based writer. She welcomes your questions or comments at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.