Celebrate the season of giving by shopping the 2nd annual BCIT Alumni Holiday Market

How do you show your loved ones you care? Surprise them with special gifts that spark joy from the second annual BCIT Alumni Holiday Market.

Launching November 1 and running through December 31, 2021, the BCIT Alumni Association is proud to feature alumni-owned businesses and services. Make your loved ones feel appreciated while supporting alumni with gifts that run the gamut from local artwork and artisan chocolates to craft beer, comic books, and everything in between.

Eat, drink, and be merry with these alumni-owned treats

Satiate the health nut, sweet tooth, and beer drinker in your life with these food- and drink-focused alumni-owned businesses. Laid Back Snacks (formerly Naked Snacks) has your back for healthy, delicious snacks delivered straight to your door. Soothe your sweet tooth without aggravating your gut with confections from Tout de Sweet, featuring organic, handmade candy that is free of core allergens such as nuts, peanuts, and gluten. If the answer is chocolate and you don’t care what the question is, Urge Chocolates & Confections makes handmade, sustainable and small batch artisan confections from creamy caramels to truffles to pocket chocolate bars, with many different flavours to choose from (check out their ‘chocouterie’ collection), all created with a pairing in mind.

Always unfiltered, unpasteurized, and made with the finest ingredients, exceptional tasting craft beer is on the menu at Steel & Oak Brewing Co., located in New Westminster, BC. Utilizing a mixture of North American and German brewing styles, Steal & Oak brews embody today’s modernity while remaining dedicated to the craftsmanship of years past.

Home is where the heart is: home décor, fashion and pets

Give the gift of clean lines and functional features this year from Hudson + Oak, featuring everyday housewares for the well lived home. Adorn your loved ones’ walls with artwork from Karen Cooper Gallery, offering the opportunity to reflect on British Columbia’s diverse and timeless beauty. Shop The Jilly Digital Store to purchase presets and prints inspired by Jillian Harris’ style of light and airy images and love of art. Get your friends giggling this season with a new coffee table book featuring Eggman Comics, a webcomic about Eggman and his friends.

When it comes to fashion, great gifts are unique and local. Enter Mila + Paige Clothing Boutique, a fashion forward style destination offering a range of brands and personalized shopping experiences. For the statement-maker on your list, find feminine, flirtatious, handcrafted jewelry from StatementGrey, including rings, bracelets, necklaces, and more. Famous for their original ear climbers, Ear Curls, SJS Designs offers fashion with a twist hand-crafted in Canada since 1999.

Looking for something for the little ones in your life? Providing durable and comfortable Canadian-made clothing for kids is all in a day’s work at Jones Baby & Co. Famous for their ‘Cruizer’ romper, the company focuses on quality materials that blend fashion and function. For the animal lovers on your list, Good Boy Collective is a specialty pet store in Vancouver, BC, with a focus on modern and ethical supplies for your furry friends.

For a variety of specially curated gifts featuring expertly crafted items from Indigenous businesses in BC, check out gift boxes from Shop First Nations. Learn about Indigenous culture and experiences while helping to grow the Indigenous economy and supporting Truth and Reconciliation with your purchasing power this holiday season.

If you’re not sure where to start, shop Loma for a wide array of products from a variety of local vendors featuring sustainable packaging. They even offer delivery via hybrid/electric to keep your shopping experience as sustainable as possible.

SHOP THE BCIT Alumni Holiday Market: Exclusively featuring BCIT alumni-owned businesses with offers and unique gift ideas to please everyone on your list.

Offer your loved ones some well-deserved self-care this season: beauty and wellness

Who on your list deserves to be pampered? Find Ayurvedic and aromatherapy-inspired natural body care products at Free Lion Body Care, including specially created items for face and beard care, body lotions and scrubs, pet care, and more. Vellum Wellness creates vegan self-care products and natural remedies to improve sleep, digestion, skin, and hair.

With its modern take on the most ancient of drinks, Chong Tea Co. strives to demystify the complexity of traditional teas and promote the benefits proven over centuries through their curated virtual tea tasting experiences, high-quality teas and tea accessories. Woash Wellness formulates herbal remedies, including loose leaf teas and accessories, rooted in nature to enhance well-being.

Skincare starts with a healthy lifestyle according to Lipani Skincare, the health-conscious skincare brand striving to bridge the gap between health and beauty while formulating high-quality, paraben- and cruelty-free cleansers, toners and creams, cosmetics, and accessories.

Check out the BCIT Alumni Holiday Market for these vendors and more.

Are you a BCIT alum?

Get the latest news, discover inspiring alumni stories, and exclusive opportunities in our quarterly BCIT alumni e-newsletter. Update your contact info now.

Supporting our alumni and winning accolades

The inaugural Holiday Market was introduced in 2020 as a way to support our alumni through a truly unique year that saw huge upticks in online shopping and the introduction of contactless curbside pick-up as the new norm. The Alumni Association enterprise was awarded the bronze medal by CCAE’s 2021 Prix d’Excellence Awards for ‘Best Alumni Initiative.’

Shop the BCIT Alumni Holiday Market today until December 31.