One of my favorite things to do Thanksgiving weekend is to jump in the car and ride around on the back roads of Putney, Vermont, following the map for the Putney Craft Tour. For three days, November 28, 29 and 30, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the artists in Putney and environs open their studios to the public for this annual event. This year happens to be the 30th anniversary of the craft tour, and it is as diverse and interesting as ever.

You can follow the tour on the map, in location order, or you can look over the list of artisans and pick and choose what you’re most interested in. The artist’s work is as varied as Ken Pick’s colorful pottery and sculpture, to Penelope Wurr’s contemporary glass, to Ian and Jenny Eddy’s hand wrought iron to the Major’s Vermont Shepherd Farm cheese making operation.

The Craft Tour is a great way to spend a couple of hours or even the better part of a day. The countryside is beautiful, the rolling hills cloaked in greys and brown, bare and ready for the first snowfall. The air is crisp and clear and you can see your breath as you walk from the car to each cozy studio. Each studio is different, reflecting the personality of the artist and the art created inside. The artists are happy to have their studios open to the public and glad to answer any questions that people have about their work.

If you get tired and need a break, you can always stop at the Front Porch Bakery in the center of town and have lunch or a snack in front of the fire curled up in one of their overstuffed chairs. This weekend might be a perfect time to get away and explore the art hidden in the Putney hills!

In these very uncertain times, it seems even more important to be thoughtful about our holiday gifts to our loved ones. When life is unsettled, we step back and realize how important we are to each other, and how nice it is to surprise someone we love with just the right holiday gift.

At the Chesterfield Inn, we offer gift certificates in any amount, to be used at any time. Gift certificates can be used in our dining room, to pay for a sumptuous dinner with fresh flowers and candlelight. Sometimes a dinner out can seem like a vacation-no cooking, no cleaning up, no kids clamoring for attention. Just a table for two tucked away in the corner of our elegant dining room, with attentive service, and delicious food. A gift certificate for $100 would easily cover a dinner for two with wine, tax and gratuity.

Or, a gift certificate can be used for a stay at the Inn, with full country breakfast for two included. Send your friends, relatives, or business associates, for a much appreciated getaway from their daily life. Treat them to a night or two in one of our king bedded rooms with a fireplace in the bedroom , and over sized windows with views of the meadow. Let them revel in the luxury of a quiet afternoon, with time to hike, shop, nap, or have a glass of wine in front of the fire. A night in a fireplace room is $225 plus tax with breakfast included.

Or, buy that special someone a gift certificate for a Romantic Getaway Package, which includes two night’s stay, gourmet dinner for two, fresh flowers, and a bottle of champagne on arrival. Prices range from $550 to $700 for the package. The value of a weekend together to relax and reconnect? Priceless!

Gift Certificates can be purchased on line or via the telephone at 800-365-5515. We’d be happy to overnight the gift certificate to you if time is short. Happy Holidays!