The holiday season is all about giving and community, and this year you can combine the two by doing your holiday shopping right here. Santa could fill his entire sleigh with products made by Bryant student and alumni entrepreneurs, from stocking-stuffers to thoughtful gifts that can be treasured for a lifetime. So, before you default to Amazon, check out these inspired offerings in our 2025 Bryant Holiday Gift Guide:
Cuddle with Cashmere
Looking to give the gift of warmth this year? Harrisville, Rhode Island-based fashion company Alashan Cashmere can wrap your loved ones in cozy cashmere sweaters, ponchos, wraps, scarves, throws, baby blankets, and more. Owned by Donald Fox '95MBA, the company is offering a 20% discount to the Bryant community through Dec. 25: simply enter the code BRY20 at checkout.
$59 to $500-plus. Order at https://www.alashancashmere.com.
Simply Charming
Celebrate this holiday season with handcrafted stretch beaded bracelets from The Paw's Post. Each bracelet is made from natural stone beads and features a signature Pawmicolon charm, a symbol that supports mental health awareness and honors the healing presence that animals bring into our lives. “These bracelets serve as a reminder that we are never alone and that the animals who walk beside us help us heal, stay grounded, and move forward with hope,” says founder Sam Lower ’26.
$30. Order at thepawspost.net or email thepawspostbusiness@gamil.com. Text 508-566-7381 for custom inquiries.
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All in the Cards
Sometimes the card means as much as the gift, and that’s definitely the case when you choose to send a custom card from Greetings by Greta. Biology major Greta Heitmueller '26 taps into her creative and artistic side to hand-paint watercolor greeting cards and original artwork, including custom orders.
From $3. Order at https://greetingsbygreta.com.
A Christmas Story
Olivia Soffey ’26 knows all about books: not only is she a self-published author, the Literary and Cultural Studies major works as a library assistant in Bryant’s Douglas and Judith Krupp Library. Her three titles — The Blood King’s Blade, The Rider of Rosewood, and The Annihilation Code — lean toward sci-fi and fantasy, with some good ghost stories thrown into the mix.
$15 paperback; Kindle version also available. Order via Amazon.
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Brewed with Love
What Cheer and Rhode Scholar are just a couple of the playfully named blends from ‘Lil Rhody Coffee Company, which also has rolled out a Winter Roast flavored with vanilla, roasting spices, and brown sugar just in time for the holidays. The coffees from founder Vincent Emery ’26 are served all around the Bryant campus; here’s your chance to share a cuppa with friends and family.
From $16. Order at https://www.lilrhodycoffee.com.
RELATED ARTICLE: https://news.bryant.edu/student-entrepreneur-brews-success-lil-rhody-coffee-startup
Shine Up Your Sled
Give your cool whip a glow up with a gift card from The Shine Mechanic, the auto detailing company founded by Bryant Business Management and Administration student Jared Pereira ’27. Mobile services (yes, he comes to you!) include interior and exterior detailing, polishing, and ceramic coating.
From $150. Order at https://www.shinemechanic.com.
Stocking Up for Good
Conscious Step sells premium fair-trade and organic socks and other items and uses part of the proceeds to support a variety of non-profit partners; you can even shop by cause by choosing “socks that protect sloths,” “socks that save LGBHT+ lives,” “socks that protect national parks,” and more. “Our mission is focused on the awareness and accessibility of giving back in a time where sustainable practices and understanding global issues is more important than ever,” says founder and CEO Prashant Mehta ’11.
From $15.95. Order at https://consciousstep.com.
RELATED ARTICLE: From a flower farm to a brewery, these small businesses are owned by Bryant alums, students
Primed for Beauty
Beauty and makeup influencer Mikayla Nogueira ’20 has leveraged her 16 million strong following on TikTok to launch her own skin prep brand, Point of View (POV). Products include glow serum, hydrating cream, lip balm, and makeup primers, all sourced in South Korea. Combo packages are also available.
From $22. Order at povbeauty.com.
RELATED ARTICLE: https://news.bryant.edu/what-ive-learned-influencer-and-entrepreneur-mikayla-nogueira-20
Seeds of Joy
Chase Whitman '27’s maple flavored sunflower seeds are already a snacking staple around the Bryant campus; now, a second addictive flavor has entered the building with the launch of Coffee Maple Chaos, a caffeinated collaboration with ‘Lil Rhody Coffee. Slide a bag of Chip’s Sunflower Seeds into your holiday stocking or slip one under the tree.
From $12.99. Use code BULLDOG at checkout to receive 10% off. Order at https://chipsseeds.com.
Pick Up a Last Resort Gift
Smithfield's Last Resort restaurant, bar, and music venue is a popular hangout for Bulldogs. This joint famously has its own swimming pool out back for guest use, and Sean Nelson '27's Sole Provider clothing and footwear company pays homage with a limited edition, Bryant-themed Lifeguard On Duty Shirt. Bonus for stocking stuffers: buy two or more shirts and Nelson will throw in a pair of Sole Survivor socks for free.
$21, plus $5 for shipping. Free on-campus delivery available. Order here.
Pour Some Holiday Cheer
Craft beer and fine wine are holiday go-tos, and Bryant is well represented when it comes to liquid gift-giving. Erika (Soucy) Orlandella ’06 and her husband, Pete, are the owners of Cape Cod Winery in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, where they produce about a dozen types of wine. In addition to familiar varietals like chardonnay, pinot noir, and rose, the couple leans into the local with wines fermented from blueberries and cranberries. In addition to bottled and canned wines, Cape Cod Winery gift cards are available. (From $18.99. For a 10% discount, use the code BRYANT. Order at https://www.capecodwinery.com, or visit the winery at 4 Oxbow Road, East Falmouth, MA).
Can’t choose between beer and coffee? WeHa Brewing and Roasting Company of West Hartford, Connecticut does both. “Why not have a café in the morning and a tap room at night?” reasons founder Cody McCormack ’13. (Coffee from $17. Beer from $4. Gift cards available. Order at https://wehabrewing.com or visit WeHa at 141 Shield Street, West Hartford, CT)
It doesn’t get any more on-brand in the beer world than the Bulldog Lager from Phantom Farms Brewery. Owned by alum Jason Macari ‘90MBA, Phantom Farms pours its Bryant branded beer at its Cumberland, Rhode Island brewery as well as in the beer garden at Beirne Stadium. Recipients can keep the can with its sweet Tupper artwork as a memento long after the brew has been savored. (Beer from $7. Order gift cards at https://phantomfarmsbrewing.com or visit the brewery at 30 Martin Street, Cumberland, RI).