Around This Time of Year solution
by Kegler
The first letters of the extra words (shown below in square brackets) say to shade BOX FIVE, EIGHT AND ELEVEN ON EVERY EDGE.
The message in the shaded squares, reading clockwise starting from the top left, is HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ALL!
Across
| 1 | RAN + CH [Baptist] |
| 4 | BACKPEDAL (PACK BLADE anag) [one's] |
| 9 | P(O + LIT)IC [X-ray] |
| 10 | SO + DA + POP [far] |
| 11 | LA(ST. P + LA)CE [impressive] |
| 12 | S + AS + S,Y [virgin] |
| 13 | TA(BLEAk)U [Eponymous] |
| 16 | AT&T + I + C [eventually] |
| 18 | NO + DAL (rev) [isn't] |
| 20 | RE(B)USES [grainy] |
| 23 | SOCLE (CLOSE anag) [heavy] |
| 24 | CRE(SCENt)DO [true] |
| 26 | EL(Y)SIAN (ALIENS anag) [agilely] |
| 27 | LEA + FLET (LEFT anag) [nearby] |
| 28 | TE(TRAP + O)D'S [distinctly] |
| 29 | INTER (hidden rev) [Extract] |
|
Down
| 1 | RIPPLE (2 defs) [like] |
| 2 | NU(L + L)SET (TUNES anag) [Explicit] |
| 3 | HI(TU)P [vile] |
| 4 | BUC + tCANEER (rev) [entertaining] |
| 5 | CASTE ("CAST" hom) [National] |
| 6 | P(EDEST)ALS (STEED anag) [obviously] |
| 7 | DEPO + SIT (DOPE anag) [nightly] |
| 8 | LIP-SYNCH ("SIP LINK" spoonerism) [England's] |
| 14 | BALL + ERIN + A [Victoria] |
| 15 | UMBR(ELL)AS [elongated] |
| 17 | AN + T + SIESTa [rattled] |
| 19 | DECRYPT (2 defs, pun) [You'll] |
| 21 | S AND L + OT (TO rev) [embattled] |
| 22 | B + OATER [Dingy] |
| 24 | CAN + TO [graphic] |
| 25 | COAT + I [European] |
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