Merry Xmas!  Well, if ever there’s gonna be a themed puzzle related to the specific date, this is surely the day!  And 48-across confirms it!

Once again, it’s the circles that matter in the long answers, not the long answers themselves.

Some hints:

Cookie baker:  it’s a what, not a who

____ Bator:  We got the other half of this yesterday.  If you don’t know this one, it might be worth checking out words every puzzle fan should know

Early gig for Chase and Belushi, for short:  Another one familiar to frequent solvers.  Think initials of a TV show, not abbreviation

One with lots of experience:  This one might make you think the whole long answer is the theme, especially the answer’s first word

El Prado works:  Not all plurals have “S” at the end!

“Me, too!”:  Only 5 letters, but 3, count ’em, 3 words.  btw:  DITTO is a common answer to this clue…but not here

Game with sets and runs: 2 words

Bryn Mawr grad, e.g. :  Ever met a guy from Bryn Mawr…I don’t think so!

Race in an H.G. Wells novel:  Another xword favorite.  A very nice race they were, especially when properly cooked, according to the Morlocks.   There’s a rumor that the Morlocks are demanding equal crossword puzzle time.  Don’t think I’ve ever seen them in a crossword.

Corps of Engineers project:  They build lots of stuff, but after Katrina, this is what they got a (bad) rep for.