With civil unions becoming legal in the state next week, here's how three couples will celebrate their love.

Michelle Holland, one of about a dozen guests who will attend Gary Benson's civil union celebration Monday night, is leaning toward crab rangoon.

"I have no idea what I should make," said the 37-year old, who works at Elektrisola. "He likes my famous crab rangoon. Everybody likes mine because I make them fatter than the Chinese people. I add extra filling, but you better not put that in the paper, because what if I don't bring it?"

Holland would be wise to do so, now that the rangoon's out of the bag. It'll go nicely with the little meatballs Benson is making for the historic night. And it's a delicious way to usher in a new era of tolerance and acceptance, of mainstreaming and institutional love traditionally reserved for straight people.

Here it comes, civil unions for gay couples, legal in this state as of one second past midnight, New Year's Day, 2008.

The question of why "marriage" isn't part of the legislature's wording can wait. That's an issue for another day.

For now, there are plans to make. This weekend, and in the weeks leading up to '08, gay couples have been plotting civil union strategy, thinking about things like where to go for the ceremony, who should perform it, whom to invite, and, of course, what to serve.

Benson, 38, owns a hairdressing business downtown. He's invited close friends to his house Monday night, including a justice of the peace, Beth Campbell, who is also one of his clients, to perform the ceremony. He'll document his commitment to Dan Bilodeau, his partner for the past 12 years.

"I'm making a whole bunch of dishes, and I'm going to order in Chinese food," Benson said. "Everybody's making dishes. It will be very celebratory. We're making history."

Benson and Bilodeau had a civil union in Provincetown 10 years ago, important vows that fell upon deaf ears here. But Bilodeau says he felt no bitterness over what

some may have perceived as a snub back home.

"I didn't find it a strange feeling," Bilodeau said. "It felt good that we could commit to one another in some formal way and we had it on paper, so that was good for me."

This, of course, is better.

"I'm ecstatic," Bilodeau said. "It makes me feel like I'm part of the community. I didn't feel like I really fit in that much. Now I feel like we can be respected a little more as individuals and as a couple."

Holland and her partner, Wendy Edwards, live in Boscawen. They met two years ago, after conversing on an internet fan forum for Lisa Marie Presley.

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