This season of The Vampire Diaries really has been on a roll. Whether it’s the hybrids trying to break the bond, Elena making a new bond, or the Salvatores keeping their bond together, there is a distinct lack of whininess that is making it a pleasure to watch. Not to mention those nicely played twists… Unfortunately tonight’s new episode is the last of the year, but we’ll get new episodes in January, so I guess we can muddle through the holidays while we wait.

In preparation for this temporary swan song, we have two clips from tonight’s new episode, along with a “Rehash” recap of last week’s episode, incorporating fan tweets that were posted during the show and/or incorporating screen caps using a nifty The Vampire Diaries App. Check it out:

The Vampire Diaries – Rehash: We’ll Always have Bourbon Street
[youtube]http://youtu.be/qiDFxY7DUd4?hd=1[/youtube]

The Vampire Diaries – O Come, All Ye Faithful Clip
[youtube]http://youtu.be/TXYGZ2ZQAZY?hd=1[/youtube]

The Vampire Diaries : Our Thing Clip
[youtube]http://youtu.be/bLQchspMTl0?hd=1[/youtube]

The Vampire Diaries, starring Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, and Candice Accola, airs its midseason finale tonight at 8/7c on The CW.