Those in the habit of blasting through their holiday gift list at the mall might find that holiday shopping in Harvard and surrounding towns offers a more leisurely experience, one that actually allows the senses to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season. And you don't have to travel far to find a surprising array of gift ideas. This week we take a look at what you can find right here in Harvard.

Westward Orchards offers Christmas trees and wreaths outside and inside, and the cozy farm store features a diverse mix of country-style gifts, stocking stuffers, and baked goods. For the cook on your gift list, there are cookbooks, stoneware mixing bowls, and brightly colored dishes. For holiday hostesses, there are scented votive candles, hand-dipped tapers and note cards boasting country themes. There are even toys and trinkets for the children. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through the end of December, except for Christmas Eve, when it closes at 3 p.m., and Christmas Day and the day after, when it is closed.

For the fiber hobbyist on your gift list, The Fiber Loft in the center of Harvard offers all manner of supplies for knitting, felting, weaving, and spinning, including books, looms, spinning wheels, and crochet hooks and knitting needles in every size. There are kits for children and adults alike, including an all-inclusive spinning kit with a drop spindle. Store owner Reba Maisel says the staff will even custom-make kits upon request. The store has a surprising variety of yarns—nubby, hairy, furry, shiny—in just about any color imaginable, and to accessorize sweaters and vests, it has an extensive collection of buttons and clasps. The store also carries hand-woven, knitted, and crocheted items made by Maisel and her staff.

In the nooks and crannies of the Harvard General Store you can find something for just about everyone on your gift list, including the family cat. While the organic cat treats are likely to entice the cat, flavored teas and coffees will help warm the soul on a cold winter's night. The store carries a number of unique items perfect for stocking-stuffing, such as a tea travel kit, containing herbal tea, a satin eye cover to block out the light, and silicon ear plugs to block out the noise. Chocolates, both imported and local, can be found at the store in all shapes and sizes, from small bars of Taza dark chocolate, to larger bars of the dark confection from Mast Brothers, and even coffee stir sticks sporting a ball of chocolate on the end. If you're looking for something for the kids, you'll find sock puppets, yo-yos, coloring books, and M&Ms in colors you won't find at the supermarket. For the cook on your list you'll find organic herbs, flavored vinegars, sparkling sugars, and more. Stemware, glass carafes, small wine racks, wooden bowls, letterpress cards and Sabuda pop-ups, and silkscreened wrapping paper—you can find it all at the General Store.

Shoppers too busy with shopping to think about cookies and pies for the holiday table can find help at Abbe Alpert's Gingersnap Bakery. Alpert takes orders for a whole line of holiday goodies, including decorated cookies, gingersnaps, and pies to tempt the strictest dieter, including maple pumpkin and bourbon pecan. But be sure to order early. Orders can be called in at 978-456-6892 or sent by e-mail to abbealpert@charter.net.