Local Holiday Gift Guide

Author

Whats Up Provo
November 29, 2024

You probably have some shopping to do the next few weeks. So let us help you out! Here are local, Utah companies selling some awesome products and services that everyone should know about.

By the way, none of these are affiliate links or sponsors (we’re not that organized). So, if you found this useful—let us know! (Also, we wouldn’t say no to some chocolate…)

Food 🍦🍫 🥐 

When it come to Utah food companies, we all know Kodiak Cakes, Built Bar, and Creamies (yeah, turns out Creamies is a Utah company), but there’s much much more!

Parami 🍛 

We’ve talked about Parami before, but it’s easy and so tasty, so they are worth mentioning again.

Here’s their story: “Nika, born in a Thai refugee camp returned to Cambodia after the civil war before immigrating to the US. In college [BYU], her roommates cherished her authentic curry recipes, sparking her entrepreneurial journey using fresh ingredients like garlic, lemongrass, and coconut cream.”

Salsa Queen 🌶️ 

Maybe we’re biased because it is local, but this is maybe the best salsa out there.

And you gotta love the story: “When SalsaQueen Zapata (yes, that’s her real name!) immigrated to America from Mexico, the odds were stacked against her. She spoke no English, didn’t complete high school, had no work experience, and relied on food stamps to survive as a twice-divorced single mom with seven mouths to feed.” CEO Weekly

Many of you may know Salsa Queen already (it’s been around a few years and the packaging stands out) but have you seen their new products? (the La Chingona looks powerful🔥🔥🔥)

Feast Mode 🧂 

Feast Mode started off as a side project. The founders decided to create high quality spice blends made specifically for the Utah fitness community. It didn’t stay a side project for long—now they are nationwide!

Each of their blends are “handcrafted with high quality spices made specifically to be low sodium, contain no msg, and use absolutely zero artificial fillers.”

Amano 🍫 

(High quality chocolate deserves extra pictures.)

“Amano is dedicated to creating some of the world’s most exquisite gourmet chocolate through traditional techniques. As a family run business, we hold Amano’s definition as our vision when creating our chocolate.”

There is a ton happening in Provo and Orem
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Clothing 🩳 👗 

We all know Albion Fit, Cotopaxi, Thread Wallets, Lime Ricki, Kourtni Jean, Called to Surf (lots of Utah clothing companies…). Because they are well known already we won’t highlight them (but don’t forget about them either!), so here a few other Utah apparel companies you should know about.

Iglu Outfitters 🧊 

It’s a wearable sleeping bag! Love it! Perfect for staying warm at the game. (And they sell BYU branded ones as well.)

Lou Lou and Company 🍼 

As a NICU nurse and now a mom of five, Karen knows a thing or two about caring for babies. She first made her cozy, silky soft, perfectly stretchable swaddle for her first child, Olive, and soon she was a “mama-on-a-mission”.

“I designed our entire Lou Lou collection to be the only newborn essentials mamas reach for to calm and comfort their new baby. Like your favorite comfy clothes, Lou Lou products are always stretchy, breathable and silky soft for hassle free diaper changes and sweet dreams.”

Hive & Pines 🧢 

Timpview

Utah Hockey Club

Hive & Pines sells unique, high quality hats. Rep your favorite team (including your high school team (if it’s a Utah high school), also the Utah Hockey Club hats have been hot lately), rep your company, or just rep the state of Utah!

Thrifthood 👕 

Thrifthood is in Downtown Provo and it’s a ton of fun. (Watch out for them in future editions of the newsletter, we like to highlight their “Pile Paloozas”.) It’s a great place to go to get a unique vintage item for someone this Christmas.

Here’s how they describe what they do, “We specialize in finding your favorite old school fit from a variety of vintage clothing styles from the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's.”
Another short explanation of Thrifthood: “A little taste of LA in Provo”.

60 S 100 W St #1, Provo | Open 2pm to 9pm on weekdays (closed mondays?) and 11am to 7pm on Saturday | Shop

Toys 🧸 🪀 

My Little Paint Brush 🎨 

My Little Paint Brush gives you all you need for your next masterpiece—a traced canvas, supplies, step-by-step instructions, and a free pre-recorded youtube class specific for your kit. These are so cool! They’ve got lot’s of fun character kits like Harry Potter, Grogu, Pikachu, and of course Bluey.

Sisters Sarah and Cami are the artist entrepreneurs behind it all. “In between soccer practice, dance recitals, piano lessons, school projects and play time, we paint! It’s brought joy to our lives, and we want to share that with you! We believe the desire to create is in all of us. Sometimes we just need someone to tell us we can, to give us the confidence to try!”

Hope Haven Little Home 🏠️ 

Ok these are the cutest things ever. And they come with storage built in!

“Hope Haven Little Homes were created as a miniature, modular, on the go alternative to traditional dollhouses. Because they come relatively compact we have implemented versatile features to allow maximum play per square inch.

Each box contains magnetic back and side walls to allow wall hangings to be rearranged and wallpapers to be swapped out. The bed converts into a sectional couch. The bedside table doubles as a storage bin for pillows and blankets.”

Riverbottom Butterflies 🦋

This is a super unique gift, one that might be enjoyed for longer than most toys (and not quite as permanent as getting the kids a puppy).

The specifics vary depending on what butterfly species you buy, but with a butterfly kit you get the caterpillars, all the food they will ever need, and an enclosure for the butterflies once they hatch. In all, the experience lasts about a month or two (once again depending on the species) and they give instructions about how and when to release your butterflies once they are full grown!

Sensify 🟦 🟥 🟨 

Themed sensory boxes targeting all five senses! Here are some of their themes: Gingerbread, color, heart, rainstorm, coral reef, pumpkin, and apple pie. 🥧 

The boxes have flashcards, different textures, pictures, scratch 'n sniff…there’s even a recipe and a QR code so the kids can listen to different sounds/songs/stories that go along with the theme.

Home 🛋️ 

We proudly claim Studio McGee as a Utah company (Hi Shea!, we know you’re reading this 😉), but we also proudly claim these companies below too! Check them out.

Knotted Poppy 🌺 

Buy a different banner or wreath to hang for every season. It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s fun, it looks great, and it’s local! Check out their Etsy shop here to see all their banners, wreaths, and other porch decor.

Petal Lane Home 🖼️ 

“In 1990, Chet and Lenita Thompson began picking and pressing flowers in the deserts of Arizona and the mountains of central Utah. Today, in addition to our flower operations, we design and arrange a lot of different home decor items.”

Their pieces are perfect for a cozy feeling in any room. They also combine beauty and function in their magnet boards.

It’s hard to keep track of everything happening locally…
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Experience 🪂

Plunj 🥵🥶😌 

Enjoy all the wellness benefits of “contrast therapy” in Provo’s own Nordic style bathhouse!

Sweat it all out in their sauna (it gets up to 175 degrees!), jump into the cold plunge (cannonballs are discouraged), rest for a little—and then repeat! (Hot, cold, rest, repeat.)

3768 N University Ave. STE 101, Provo | More info

Throw. Art Studio 🪴 

Get your clay on at Throw! They’ve got 4-week beginner courses, after-school kids camps, intro level pottery lessons, and memberships. Can’t decide? Just get a gift card!

308 E 300 S, Provo | throw. art studio

Indigo 355 🍕 

Indigo 355 always has something fun going on! Local businesses and creatives rent the space and offer all sorts of classes—artisan pizza making class, toffee making, line dancing, art classes. The possibilities are endless.

Go have an experience learning something new with someone you love!

355 W 100 N, Provo | Find a Class

Utah Cow Cuddle 🐄 

“Cow cuddling is more than just a novel experience; it’s a therapeutic practice that offers numerous mental and emotional health benefits. By promoting relaxation, mindfulness, and a connection with nature, it provides a unique way to de-stress and find peace in today's fast-paced world.” Psychology Today

So don’t stand behind the fence, simply longing to cuddle a cow. Get over to Fold of Liberty Farms, where they let you get past the fence to pet, brush, and snuggle with the fluffy and cuddly cows!

4197 W 5200 S, Spanish Fork | More info

How about a few more 🌟 

Shine Cosmetics 💄 

A great local cosmetic company determined “to change the way the beauty industry markets to women” (no more mascara names that will make you blush).

“Named after power words like Courage, Faith, Blessed, Enough, Shine Cosmetics offers quality products at an affordable price, and hopes that you begin each day repeating these affirmations to remind you of your own true beauty and worth.”

They’ve got some great BB creams, mascaras, and blush sticks (and more). And if you’re local, you can try the makeup at their warehouse storefront!

Cozy Confidence 👩‍🦱 

“Our Curlband is saving thousands of women and little girls so much time getting ready, damage from hot tools, and giving them an instant boost of confidence every single morning!”

The way it works is you wrap your hair at night, sleep, and wake up with effortless curls! And the Curlband is soft, so you can still get a good night’s sleep while wearing it.

Bam Wear ⌚️ 

“Making affordable wooden accessories is kinda our thing.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Watches, belts, sunglasses, rings, wallets, bracelets.

Thanks!

Thanks for reading the world’s longest email! Hope it helps you with your holiday (and non-holiday) shopping! 😉 

-Nicole, Josh, & Carlie

“When you support small business, you’re supporting a dream.”

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