gifts for a stay at a cottage

Summer/Outdoors

Hostess Gifts for a Cottage Stay

It’s cottage season again and those of us who don’t own a cottage may sometimes be invited to spend a week or two at a friend or family member’s summer retreat. What should we take to show our appreciation? Should it be something useful or  something decorative? Here are some examples for both ideas.

Decorative Lantern

Dollarama sells small gazebo-style lanterns in a variety of colours. A pair of these, along with a package of votive or tea light candles for a buck would make a lovely gift to add to deck or patio ambiance. You can also get a small double hook shepherd’s hook for two bucks, to hang them on, if you’d like to include that, as well.

Instead of regular candles, include citronella tea lights to help keep the bugs at bay.

Picnic Help

 

I’m sure your hosts will appreciate a gift that helps with meal times. How about filling a colorful medium sized plastic tub with BBQ essentials like mustard, BBQ sauce, relish, napkins and paper plates, all available at dollar stores. Add some Jell-o pudding cups and some hot dog buns, both available at the dollar store, and a package of wieners from the grocery store to complete this offering.

The same type of plastic tub as above could be filled with games and and snacks. This is a practical gift sure to be appreciated by families, as it will help to entertain the kids on rainy days. Dollar stores have puzzles, playing cards and drinks, as well as chips, cookies and other goodies to help fill it for less than you could find them elsewhere.

This tub will also be useful after it’s empty as an ice receptacle to keep drinks cool outside or as a place to store small outdoor toys.

Pampered Hostess Gift

 

For something on a more personal note, present your hostess or host with a gift containing flip flops, sun glasses, a couple of pretty garden decorations, a puzzle book or magnetic note pad, an acrylic wine goblet and a small bottle of Perrier. You can put something like this together for very little, indeed when you shop at the dollar store.

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