Highline held a Holiday Market, in the Student Union, filled with over two dozen independent vendors offering a variety of unique merchandise including stationary, perfect little handmade gifts, and distinct art. Attendees had the chance to win a gift basket that included a variety of merchandise from the vendors at the event. 

One of the purposes/goals of the Holiday Market, held Dec. 2, was to introduce attendees to different Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) owned shops. The entire event allowed for networking and getting small businesses more visibility. 

All the vendors were not only selling their products but also warmly and energetically interacting with the participants; people were greeted warmly, it was more like an actual community celebration.

One anonymous student said, “I really like the vibe of the whole thing, it’s like communities come together to support small businesses and stuff. And, there’s nothing [here] that I didn’t really like.” 

Twenty-five vendors of different specialties had set up unique booths to sell their products. Students poured into the market by 11 a.m. Booths were set up in the cafeteria, holiday classics mixed in with non-Christmas songs sang through the booths, and students indulged in all the trinkets up for offer. 

There was a good choice of attractive goods such as accessories, warm clothing, and unique and striking gift items. The crowd that moved through the market was exposed to the smell of the holiday snacks and drinks, which gave the customers a boost to their spirits.

Decorations lit up the inside and out, catching the eye and interest of students going about their day. One anonymous student said, “When I was walking outside, I saw all the decorations and I was curious about what was going on [inside].”

Of course, it was also a great way for friends and family to get together and have a good holiday time and begin the holiday season with some shopping, a lot of entertainment, and a great sense of togetherness that could easily follow one through all the upcoming holidays.  

A Tooth Gem Bar, 89 Links, was by far the most popular booth. They set up a cosmetic chair to attach tooth gems (small jewels) to customers. These were secured to teeth using dental glue. These tooth gems are semi-permanent attachments lasting anywhere from six months to two years.

The popularity of the booth spoke for itself, drawing a lot attention from customers. Another anonymous student said, “I didn’t know what they were doing over there, but it looked really interesting because a lot of people were crowding over there.” 

Ube Overload, a Filipino bakery selling ube desserts, a cake made of purple yams, gained such popular patronage that they had sold out within three hours of the market opening. 

One student said the best part of the market was “probably people just being here, enjoying their day, enjoying my day, just a welcome space, where people can hangout with each other, and just get to know one another.”

Crocheted items were a popular purchase at the market, available at numerous different booths. A handmade hat, stuffed animal, or cozy headbands are perfect gifts for the holidays. Handmade jewelry shone brightly in all different aesthetics, along with homemade candles and ceramics. 

Despite what a challenge an event of this caliber could propose, students enjoyed all the trinkets offered.  Dilorine Muliaganotoa, one of the event organizers, said, “It was just a long process of getting vendors and finding different types of vendors.” 

“I really enjoyed shopping with my friends and I am excited to show my relatives all the unique gifts I’ve bought today,” said Rihana Mohammed, a second-year running start student.

As the holiday season brings a variety of traditions and celebrations, marketers have a unique opportunity to connect with several audiences in meaningful ways. We look forward to seeing more holiday marketing again.