With the holidays approaching, gift giving season is here. It’s time to deck the halls, trim the trees and blow your entire budget. This season is a great time to explore different options when it comes to buying the right gift for the people you love. This gift giving season, try shopping small and local instead of purchasing from big brands.

Small businesses are locally run and operated, so the gift bought directly impacts the local community. And what better way to impact the local community than to buy from Sion students? These ladies have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset as they own and operate their own small businesses while remaining full time students. 

Here are four Sion student small businesses you should support this holiday season.

Karleigh’s Creations:

After being gifted a Cricut for her birthday, freshman Karleigh Miller decided to start her small business. She makes designs on her Cricut and puts them on sweatshirts and cups. Miller currently takes custom orders, and hopes to start an Instagram in the future.

“I kept seeing Instagram [posts] and Tiktoks of people posting cute sweatshirts that they made and I said, ‘I wonder if I could make that.’ I find a lot of joy in creating,” Miller said. “Being creative is a part of my personality and it’s super important to me.”

Baked by Charlotte:

Sophomore Charlotte Zender has been running her small business since 5th grade. Zender bakes cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies and makes custom orders

“Baking has been in my family since forever,” Zender said. “I was influenced by it from my mom, my grandmas and my dad. So it’s just something I want to continue.”

Her first order was for a friend’s little brother’s birthday party, where she made American Ninja Warrior cupcakes. From there it took off, and she’s been pursuing her passion alongside starting high school.

“I think I started my small business because it brought me so much joy. And I was able to be so creative with it; my imagination could just go wild, which I love,” Zender said. “It’s something that just happened. I didn’t plan for it, but it’s great and I love it.”

Crybaby: 

At every Sion marketplace, junior Gracie Orf can be seen at a table selling products for her small business Crybaby.

“I sell pretty much anything sewn, crocheted, painted and just hand made things,” Orf said. “I have examples of everything I make, but if you see something that you would like, I’m happy to try and make it. As well as anything I have made, I can alter them in a specific way.” 

Orf started Crybaby in her freshman year of high school and it has grown since then. She has sold her products at every Sion marketplace and is on her way to setting up an Etsy account.

“I was always an ambitious little child. When I was in fourth grade I sold bracelets that I made,” Orf said. “I got more into it freshman year when I realized I could make things other people couldn’t put the time into or didn’t know how to make. And they would pay me to make things for them.”

If you want to place an order at Crybaby, contact Gracie Orf at: [email protected] 

Hand-Painted Jackets:

At every given opportunity, senior Caroline Dold, can be seen wearing her hand painted jacket. She painted her jacket the fall of her junior year and painted another one for a friend. Now she sells denim jackets with custom designs painted on the back.

“I want other people to feel as good about expressing themselves as I do,” said Dold. “If I’m helping people do that then I’m really happy.”