As we roll into December, I’m blown away by how engaged this community continues to be. Whether you were sharing your favorite local shops to support this season or planning ahead by locking in next year’s yard care, your energy is what keeps this newsletter thriving.

Thank you for showing up, lifting up our small businesses, and thinking ahead to make our Valley shine both now and into 2026. More spotlights, stories, and local goodness are on the way.

Stay warm, stay kind, and keep supporting the place we all call home.

Table of Contents

• Thank You, Farmington Valley — Your Input Was Incr …

  • 🎁 Local Shops & Makers You Recommended

  • 🛒 Why This Matters

  • Coming Up Next…

• Wintering, A Season Gathering for Stillness, Renew …

  • A Workshop Designed for…

  • Hosted By

  • What You Can Expect

  • Workshop Details

• This Weekend In Collinsville!

• Don’t Wait Till Spring

Thank You, Farmington Valley — Your Input Was Incredible!

Over the past week, our inbox and comment sections basically exploded, in the best way possible. You showed up with heart, enthusiasm, and a massive list of local shops, makers, artists, crafters, cafés, spas, and hidden gems worth supporting this holiday season.

Truly… thank you.
Your feedback is the fuel that keeps this newsletter growing, and your love for our local businesses is exactly what makes the Valley feel like home.

As promised, we’ll be rolling out features on many of these spots, not just this week, but throughout the entire season (and beyond). Later this week, we’re shining a spotlight on a beloved local pet store, but today we want to celebrate you and the huge list of incredible places you recommended.

So here it is, your crowd sourced Valley Holiday Shopping List, full of the people, shops, and small businesses you said deserve extra love this season:

🎁 Local Shops & Makers You Recommended

Simsbury & Avon Area:

• SubherbanLivin (Simsbury’s Give Back Gift Shop) — mentioned by so many of you!

• The Bell & Raven

• Kosha Yoga (now offering red light therapy, massage, infrared classes — and gift certificates!)

• Vicente Garcia / Studio Garcia

• Wine Etc.

• The Acorn Boy

• Ravenswood Natural Health

• Farmington Valley Arts Center (Avon)

• Rhenium Salon & Spa

• CT Wine & Etc. (Simsbury / Granby)

• Simsbury Historical Society — SimsbEARy gifts + Holiday Market

• The Lucky Gut Collective

• BouNom Bakery & BouNom Emporium

• The Home Place CT (Canton)

• Gather on Hopmeadow

• Little Sprigs Art

• Illumina Skin Care & Massage

• The Coffee Spot

• Bill Selig Jewelry

• Milk And Honey

• Neckers Toy Land

• Wisdom Of The Ages

• Bagel Chalet Avon

Collinsville & Nearby:

• The Findery

• Antiques on the Farmington

• Blumen Laden

• Carol And Co.

• Rootz Organic Salon

• East West Vintage

• Good Bones CBD

• Luna and Lotus

…and so many more. This community truly showed up.

🛒 Why This Matters

Every purchase made at a small business — whether it’s a bag of bagels, a handmade candle, a watercolor class, a local photograph, or a crystal from a tiny gift shop — makes a real difference in someone’s life. You’re helping families, supporting dreams, strengthening our towns, and keeping our local culture alive and vibrant.

This is what makes the Farmington Valley special:
We don’t just shop local, we lift each other up.

Coming Up Next…

Keep an eye out later this week for our feature on a favorite local pet store, plus more highlights on the shops you recommended.
This list is just the beginning and thanks to your enthusiasm, we’ve got months of small-business spotlights coming.

For now though, let’s dive into the below story on a workshop for your soul!

Wintering, A Season Gathering for Stillness, Renewal, and Inner Wisdom

A workshop for those entering their quiet becoming.

As winter approaches, many of us feel that subtle, instinctive pull inward, an ache to soften our pace, reconnect with ourselves, and move through the darker months with intention rather than exhaustion. Wintering is an invitation to honor that instinct.

This gently guided seasonal workshop is created for anyone who feels overwhelmed, overstimulated, emotionally fatigued, or simply craving a slower, steadier rhythm.

It’s a warm, heart centered gathering that blends somatic practices, reflective inquiry, art, seasonal ritual, community, and quiet presence. Think of it as a place to breathe, recalibrate, and be held by the wisdom of winter rather than pushed against it.

A Workshop Designed for…

• Those longing for grounding, stillness, and nervous-system safety

• Anyone moving through internal transitions, healing, or emotional shifts

• People who prefer depth over small talk and want a gathering that feels spacious and safe

• Individuals craving meaning, ritual, and a winter rhythm that restores instead of drains

• Anyone who feels the truth of the season—the need to settle, listen, and reconnect

Hosted By

Kathryn Jordan (She/Her/Hers)
LMFT, RMT • CEO of Collaborative Family Solutions, LLC
Kathryn is an exceptional therapist known for her grounded presence, trauma-informed care, and deep compassion. She brings a rare blend of clinical expertise, warmth, and intuitive guidance—helping individuals tap into inner steadiness, emotional safety, and embodied truth. Her approach makes Wintering not just a workshop, but a supportive therapeutic space for becoming.

Melissa O’Brien
Educator • Volunteer • Guide at the intersection of nature, community, consciousness, and creativity
Melissa’s work centers on how these four elements weave together in our lives—how they shape identity, restore balance, and spark meaning. With a background rooted in education and service, she brings a thoughtful, nature-connected presence and a gift for helping people slow down enough to hear themselves. Her perspective invites participants into deeper listening, intentional creativity, and authentic connection.

Together, Kathryn and Melissa create a container that feels warm, steady, and deeply human, an environment where people can breathe, soften, and reconnect with who they’re becoming. (and probably even make new friends along the way)

What You Can Expect

• Trauma-informed guidance with supportive pacing

• Insights on seasonal rhythms, the nervous system, and emotional regulation

• Gentle somatic and grounding practices to ease the body into steadiness

• Art-based reflection to deepen inner listening and nonverbal processing

• Seasonal ritual & meaning-making rooted in the symbolism of winter

• Soft embodiment practices to release tension and cultivate presence

• A clear, predictable structure held with warmth, care, and intention

• Community connection without pressure—belonging that honors boundaries

• A quiet, grounded environment that feels safe, nourishing, and deeply human

This is not a productivity workshop or a goal-setting sprint. This is a return to your breath, your body, your inner wisdom, and the gentle pace winter asks us to consider.

Workshop Details

Dates:
Fridays at 4:30 PM — December 19th, January 2nd, January 23rd, and February 6th
Location: Holcomb Farm
Cost: $89
(Intentionally priced to remain accessible for those who feel called to join.)

If you’re feeling the quiet nudge to slow down, to create intentional space, or to reconnect with yourself in a deeper way…. this gathering is for you.

Winter doesn’t ask us to push harder.
It asks us to listen.
To soften.
To come home.

This Weekend In Collinsville!

It’s Christmas in Collinsville, and the whole village is about to feel like a holiday postcard come to life. From the beloved Champagne Walk to horse-drawn magic on Main Street… from local craft shows bursting with handmade gifts to twinkling Christmas tree exhibits waiting to be explored—this is the weekend the town shows off its full charm.

If you’ve ever wondered what the quintessential New England holiday feels like… it’s this. Small shops glowing, music floating through the cold air, neighbors bundled up and smiling, and that unmistakable Collinsville warmth wrapping around everything.

Bundle up, wander slow, support local, and let this tiny, spirited town fill your cup.

Merry Christmas in Collinsville. 🎁🌟

Don’t Wait Till Spring

Yes, the snow is flying… but that’s exactly why now is the smart time to think ahead for next year’s yard care.

Booking your 2026 yard maintenance before spring rolls around guarantees two big wins:

1. Best Pricing of the Season
Secure your spot now and lock in the most budget-friendly pricing you’ll see all year. When you’re looking in spring, the last minute pricing is more because the schedule has already been filled up.

2. Priority Scheduling
Those first warm days fill up fast. Get on the calendar now so your yard is at the top of the list when the season hits.

If you’re planning stump grinding, cleanup, trimming, or full yard maintenance for 2026, now’s the time to claim your spot — future you will thank you.

Ready when you are. Click below to get your best pricing quote.

Explore The Farmington Valley and become an active participant in our growing community. Together, we can share local stories, connect with trustworthy businesses, and build the community where it's needed most.

Warm regards,

The Farmington Valley Team