Terp Gift Guide

Sure, Under Armour clothes from Kevin Plank ’96 and the new “Wimpy Kid” book by Jeff Kinney ’93 make great Terp-inspired holiday gifts. But shop a little deeper, and you’ll find more UMD student- and alumni-created food, apparel, tech and more for the nice and naughty on your list:

Route One Apparel by Ali Von Paris ’12, featuring casual state-pride gear. The former Cupid’s Cup finalist founded the company in her Commons apartment, and she now has more than 40 employees and nearly 700 products.

“Eat Your U.S. History Homework” by Ann McCallum M.A. ’96 is a clever cookbook that helps kids understand life in America from the 1600s to the 1800s through food. This is the third book in her recipe series, which first tackled math and science.

Salted chocolate from Salazon Chocolate Co., founded by Pete Truby MBA ’07. Based in Sykesville, Md., Salazon focuses on organic, fair trade chocolate with a unique twist: salt. Holiday flavors include candy cane and gingerbread.
The Micro 3D Printer from M3D, created by Michael Armani ’05, Ph.D. ’10 and David Jones ’06, is a sleek, small and relatively inexpensive printer for the masses. M3D raised $3.4 million in its 2014 Kickstarter campaign, far exceeding the $50,000 goal.

Beer from Abita Brewing Co., where Jaime Jurado ’83 is the director of brewing operations. Jurado, who has a chemical engineering background, brings his more than three decades of experience to creating new beers at this Louisiana-based company.

Khirma luxury accessories and jewelry by Khirma Eliazov ’99. Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna have been spotted wearing this New York-based brand, created by Eliazov after she spent years as a stylist and editor for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour.

Tickets to “The Wizard of Oz: The Musical,” starring Sarah Lasko ’13 as Dorothy. The national tour starts Dec. 1 in Cleveland and stops in Washington, D.C. in May 2016.

Smith Island Cake from the Smith Island Baking Company, owned by Brian Murphy ’99. His company churns out 80,000 to 90,000 of the many-layered Maryland state dessert each year—from the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.

Candles from Chesapeake Bay Candle, created by Mei Xu M.A. ’92. Xu launched this popular brand from her Annapolis home in 1994. Now, the company, which has branched out to home décor, sells its products worldwide.

“Tailgate in a Box” from Instagate, created by Matt MacLean ’11 and Alex Lubin ’11. For those who want to just show up in the parking lot and be ready for a pregame party, this box offers all the tools you need, from a mini grill to a beer pong set.

Skin-care products from Eco-Armour, co-founded by Zoe Benzinger M.Ed. ’94. From shaving foam to lip balm to insect repellent, Eco-Armour offers its natural, botanical products at farmer’s markets throughout Maryland and online.