Every urbanite knows that the best friend to have in the summertime is someone who owns a cottage. And should you be lucky enough to be invited for a weekend getaway, you’ll want to make sure to be the most gracious guest so that you, fingers crossed, get asked to return. Of course, you’ll want to pitch in with doing dishes and tidying up while you’re there, but if you bring along a thank you gift to show your appreciation and good manners, you’ve got way better odds at earning that repeat invite. To help you score that golden ticket, here are some rock-solid thank you gift ideas.
Gifts For The Cottage Owner
For the gadget fan:
Forget getting back to nature -- your hosts can’t get enough of tech-y toys even in the rustic outdoor setting of their cottage.
A mini projector (it can fit in the palm of your hand!) so your host can watch movies outdoors in cottage country with the starry sky above by projecting it onto a wall or hanging a large sheet outside.
There’s only so much singing around the campfire one can do. A solar-powered Bluetooth speaker will hit the right note for the music aficionado with the well curated iPod playlists.
Indulge their DIY geeky side with this plastic SLR camera they can construct themselves, and then snap old-school 35mm photos with so that your cottage memories are captured forever.
For the games nut:
If your hosts tend to spend their R&R getting competitive over games, adding to their collection will translate to years of laughs and competition (and hopefully you’ll get to play time and time again, too).
Chances are they’ve got the classics such as Scrabble and Monopoly at the cottage already. Refresh their board game collection with a fun new board game that’ll remind them of their primary school spelling bees.
Whether it’s Hearts, Crazy Eights, or Go Fish, this floaty set will allow them to take the game off of the deck and right into the lake.
Nothing helps to break the ice with new guests at the cottage than a game that may prove revealing and awkward. Get set to learn how the twisted the minds of your friends are.
Don’t mistake this backyard classic as just for kids -- grownups will get plenty competitive playing this nostalgic game.
For the foodie:
There will be no supermarket franks or packaged cole slaw served at your food-loving host’s cottage. These delicious treats and tools will help show your gratitude.
For the carnivorous host with a love of the grill, this set of steak knives will keep them a cut above every other aspiring chef at the cottage.
Your friend enjoys a nice cold one on a hot summer day, and with this deluxe kit, he can brew his very own craft beer from scratch.
With a self-watering planter, they’ll be able to grow their own fresh herbs to cook with at the cottage without having to worry about watering them during the week when they’re back in the city.
For a gift that’s easy on the budget, pull together a smallbasketof BBQing essentials that your hosts will no doubt put to good use.
For the decor devotee:
Their cottage is the epitome of rustic shabby chic. Help them make it an even more inviting cottage with some Canadiana classics.
Your hosts spend more time in the lake than on dry land at the cottage -- a set of luxurious beach towels in this iconic Canadian stripe will help them dry off in style.
For those chillier nights in cottage country, your host can stay warm and cozy with this timeless wool blanket.
The versatility of this throw pillow will come in handy once the drinks start flowing and guests start crashing right and left. It also looks great on a futon.
For the newbie cottage owners:
If your hosts are proud new cottage owners, help them outfit their country pied à terre with some staples.
No one will miss dinnertime when the host has this handy tool to beckon everyone to the table.
What outfit screams ‘Canadian cottage country’ more than this single item of clothing?
Even non-bird lovers become amateur ornithologists when they spend enough time at the cottage!