Can you believe it? The holiday season is nearly upon us! As a working mom, I always feel a
sense of excitement but also stress this time of year. I find that it is easy to get stuck in the
mindset of ‘so much to do, so little time!’ But truly, I do not like that mindset, as I believe we
always have time, we just need to be intentional about our time.
So this year, I am applying the concept of intentionality to how I am approaching holiday gifting.
I am intentionally finding ways to make gift giving less stressful by fostering creativity and family
adventure throughout the process. From homemade cards to shopping local, I hope that this
concept of intentional gift giving can inspire you and your loved ones to embrace the holiday
season as a creative, family adventure too!
Ahead of the hustle and bustle, we are preparing holiday cards. No, not those holiday cards with
the family portraits, but the holiday cards designed by our in-house artist, my 18 month-old son!
I remember receiving artwork from my nephews before my son was born and how much their
artwork meant to me, so I realized it was a no brainer to do the same for my family members.
It’s so easy to do, and a great learning activity as well, stimulating creativity, mindfulness and
sensation! At 18-months-old my son is becoming more interested in exploring arts and crafts,
and we are loving crayons, finger paints, and markers to design our holiday cards. To add a
personal touch, we have also been stamping my son’s hand on the cards so that recipients not
only receive his beautiful artwork but also this special moment in time marked by his small hand.
I’m really looking forward to including these cards within all of our gifts this holiday.
Next up, shopping. Typically, I dread this part of the season as I tend to procrastinate and end
up spending our hard earned dollars at the big box stores on gifts that don’t have the depth that
I want them to have. Fortunately, at home here in Maine, we have some amazing local kid-
friendly venues to support our goal of intentional gift giving. Not only are we finding great gifts
and supporting our local businesses, but my son is having a blast as we adventure to these new
places!
Last week we spent the afternoon exploring Flaherty’s Family Farm in Scarborough, Maine. As
it is still pumpkin season, my son had a blast experiencing the farm’s pumpkin patch! Running
around on the straw hay and finding the perfect pumpkin for our front porch was a great family
activity. Inside the farm shop, we got to work finding some great gifts for the holidays. From
alpaca socks for my alpaca loving sister-in-law, to locally harvested and pickled vegetables for
my vegan sibling, to homemade jams and sauces for my grandmother, and fresh candles for my
sister, there was something for almost everyone on my list! How special these items would be,
packaged in a basket with my son’s holiday cards. Flaherty’s Family Farm is now officially one
of my top rated KFV venues as it exceeded my expectations in providing a place of play and
exploration for my son, while also meeting my goal of finding unique holiday gifts. The farm is

open daily from 10am-6pm, and the staff is incredibly welcoming and kind. The farm also has a
lot of fresh produce and seafood, all at fair prices. The pumpkin patch was a delightful surprise
for family adventure, and there was plenty of room to allow my son space to run around.
Located just off of Route 1, the farm is easily accessible with plenty of parking on site.
Then, over the weekend, we had the opportunity to visit Highland Farm, also in Scarborough,
Maine. My son loves Highland Farm, and we have been fortunate to spend several fall
afternoons at the garden center and farm market. This time of year, the farm is stocked with
pumpkins, mums, squash, corn stalks, straw bales and more. There’s a reason they call it
autumn abundance at Highland! My son loves to run from green house to green house, learning
about the autumn harvest, delighting in all the autumn colors, and exploring the textures of all
the autumn items. Inside the farm market, there are unlimited items for gifts, and I delight in
finding a gardening kit for my mom, a cozy blanket for my mother-in-law, and a unique brew kit
for my brother-in-law. Highland Farm is definitely one of my top rated KFV venues, providing a
safe and fun place for play for my son, as well as satisfying my needs in finding intentional gifts
for the holidays. The farm is open every day from 9am-5pm, and like Flaherty Farm, the staff is
incredibly welcoming and kind. The farm also has fresh cheese, baked goods, eggs, and wine
for space, making the perfect combination for a food and wine loving gift basket! Also located
just minutes off of Route 1, the farm is easy to get to with plenty of parking on site.
This process of intentional gift giving through creativity and family adventure has been such a
positive shift in how I approach the holiday season, and I hope this inspires you to try something
new too! To get more information on Flaherty’s Family Farm and Highland Farm, please visit
this website’s free KidFriendlyVenue app!

KD