I hope you love this holiday gift guide: gifts for the cottage might have been my favorite theme to write about. It’s full of fun and unusual gift ideas for people who live on the lake or spend time at the cottage. Rural life can be so different than life in the city. Lots of cottages and rural homes are set up differently (exhibit A: composting toilets), so day-to-day routines can be really different plus we’re often impacted more by power outages and well problems. But also the pace of life can be slower and more peaceful, so country folk can be fascinated by gadgets and goodies city folk might not be as excited about. Of course I’m making sweeping generalizations here, plus I’m lumping anyone who has a cottage, camp, lake house, barn, or country abode into one category for this gift guide: gifts for the cabin, but hopefully this list of goodies helps anyone trying to find the perfect gift for the country mice in their lives – or searching for that perfect host/hostess gift if they’ve been invited to someone’s cottage for the holidays!
Hubby and I have been pining for a model ship for years – it’s the perfect lake house decor! – but we can’t decide on a style. This one is handcrafted from wood and has such a gorgeous rich hue. As far as gifts for the cottage on the lake go, a ship is probably the cutest (bonus points if the recipient owns a boat and you find a model-sized version of it).
Who wants to cook at the cottage? Or in general (kidding). I don’t really enjoy cooking but I do enjoy eating, so I’ll happily buy things that make cooking more fun (colorful pots!) or easy (my beloved slow cooker). I’ve never tried the Instant Pot but these get rave reviews and it sounds like they make whipping up a quick healthy meal a breeze – perfect for power outages when you’re hungry but running on a generator so time is of the essence. I firmly believe gifts for the cottager dweller can be practical!
I have, surprisingly, not lost a lot to Lake Superior. Two pieces of dock, sure, and a hammer – which I FOUND after an hour of scraping the bottom of the lake with my paddle, dangling out the side of our canoe – but there’s always the chance to drop something off the dock or out of the boat, or just get splashed by rogue wave. This waterproof kindle will surely be a welcome gift for anyone who loves to read dockside.
This isn’t exclusively for this list of gifts for the cottage because anyone could love this. It’s aqua and keeps wine the perfect temp for dockside dining and beach picnics. Need I say more? You can also add this to a DIY gift basket, paired with a great bottle of wine, nice cheese and crackers and homemade chocolates, which would be a sweet host/hostess gift if you’ve been invited to a cottage for the holidays.
Metal Straws & Other Eco Conscious Gifts
I think it’s much easier to see the negative impact humans make on the environment when you live closer to nature. In the city, the garbage just gets picked up from the driveway. I have to drive my garbage 20km to an open pit and it’s always eye opening. I never really thought about my garbage until I moved to a place where I’ve gotten to explore the landfill so much. Plus we have to pay 50 cents per garbage bag, which is added incentive to recycle and waste less. I try to make changes to be easier on the planet, but I am far from perfect. Like, really far, but every little tiny bit helps. If you’re struggling with gifts for the cottage lover, seek out Eco-conscious gifts, like these metal straws, resuable food wrap, or chic vintage inspired compost pail.
I have raved about these socks before on Instagram. For chilly winter walks or cozying up by the fire, SmartWool socks are so plush and never slip down into boots. They’re expensive, but a real treat for the feet – plus they come in really cute patterns and colors for men and women.
If you have a lake, pond or puddle, you’ve got Canada Geese. Celebrate the fact that, if you’re in Canada, they’re gone right now with this chic black and white pillow, which would look cute with modern or rustic cabin, cottage, or lakehouse decor. Of these gifts for the cottage, this is one of the ones I was personally hoping for haha.
I included slippers in my homebody holiday gift guide too, but they’re such a foolproof gift! These felt forma slippers are a new-to-me brand but I love that they’re handmade in Lithuania from 100% wool, with a non-slip rubber sole, which means you can use them inside or dash outside with them too. They come in tons of fun colors and different styles, from booties to clogs.
This canvas and leather log carrying tote is super handy around the cabin or cottage, plus you can have it monogrammed for only $10, which makes this the most personalized item of these gifts for the cottage.
The Art of Eating Through the Zombie Apocalypse Cookbook
Cottagers and rural folk have the best odds of surviving the apocalypse – all you city folk are toast. This cookbook is sure to stir up laughs and some fun.
I think a throw will make every gift guide this year – I have some in my gift guide for homebodies too. I love how PLUSH this faux fur throw looks – imagine it beside a fireplace in either a modern lakeside abode or cute quirky cottage – it looks good everywhere and gifts for the cottage are made easy with this idea because throws are one-size-fits all.
Books About Cottage Life
The cottage is the place for big gorgeous coffee table books, like Cabin Porn, Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way, and 150 Best Cabin and Cottage Ideas.
I really want a beautiful, modern telescope to keep out in the living room – remember that old house we rented that had one? When I shared a tour of that home, I never thought I’d end up with my own slice of Lake Superior and I just want to stare at it all day. We have Barska deep sea binoculars, which we bought for the boat but use at home a lot too. It helps us answer the many pressing questions of the day: Log or otter? Log or beaver? Is that our neighbor water skiing at night? Gifts for the cottage must keep in mind that we’re curious about our surroundings…
At the cottage, you have time for pour over coffee! Buy someone this classic, beautiful Chemex coffee pot with a bag of locally roasted beans. And a bottle of Bailey’s if you really want to be loved and appreciated because sometimes country folk run out of milk and I don’t even want to admit how many mornings I start with a jolt of something stronger in my coffee because the nearest grocery store is an hour away (but Bailey’s keeps in the cupboard nicely haha).
Marshmallow Roasting Sticks and S’mores Kit
I need this marshmallow roasting stick set! We always have to whittle a stick for marshmallow roasting and then we have to fight with the dogs who keep trying to steal it, lol. If you’re looking for more handmade-type gifts for the cottage, pair this with homemade marshmallows and chocolate!
LifeStraw Personal Water Filer
For hiking, camping , or just a bad well day, these LifeStraw personal water filter is handy to have! Makes a great stocking stuffer for your outdoorsy cottagers. There’s a high volume 12L version too. Although we have a UV system that purifies our well water, it’s not 100% – right now our water isn’t potable – plus in a power outage, the water pump and all systems go down, so as a country dweller I’d totally love this.
Enamelware has come a long way and there are so many fun designs and colors. I bought myself a colorful set this spring but I still eye up cute enamelware. These colorful mugs are a fun set, but this blue set with matching percolator is a classic.
I know a ridiculous amount of history behind the HBC blanket, because one of my first jobs as a teen was as an historical re-enactor at Fort William Historical Park. The blanket is iconic, not only for the look, but for the genius of the marketing because, at the time, the woollen point blankets all came from Whitney Mills but only the HBC limited the selection to one kind, creating an iconic blanket when the other competing company offered people choice. It’s expensive (there’s a much less expensive fleece version for the same look) but the classic wool one is timeless. Personally I like the cream with a black stripe.
Watering Can, Gardening Gloves and Garden Tools
These wear out, get lost, get borrowed and never returned – you can’t go wrong gifting a beautiful set of gardening accoutrements to anyone who has even a postage square stamp of lawn but especially country folk (like this watering can, turquoise and leather gardening gloves, or patterned gardening tools – this kit has everything!)
I will admit: I still save my Hunter boots for nice days! But I’m on my second pair of cheap Canadian Tire rain boots. I wear either my Sorels or my rubber boots ALL the time around the lake house. They keep my feet safe from goose poop and ticks. On summer hot days, I will wear flip flops but around the property my rubber boots see me through all four seasons.
Hand Crank Emergency Flashlight
Power outages are a bummer in the country because they seem to happen more often than in town, plus it usually takes longer for it to get restored. Hubby and I speed up the process by driving around, finding the downed tree (usually that’s what it is) and calling in the location. That’s how badly we want our power back, lol. This inexpensive little hand crank emergency flashlight also has a back up solar panel. So handy and country folk will love it!
Cook almost anywhere and anytime (see: power outages, above) with this clever grill. Cute for camping but also for having a little impromptu campfire down by the lake.
For more conventional grilling, I love this egg-shaped grill and smoker. It has a lot of features but, honestly, what I love is the cool shape and it comes in blue.
This rolling cooler from Target’s Hearth and Hand with Magnolia has such a cute, retro vibe – perfect for the cabin or cottage. Totally selfish that gifts for the cottage benefit the guests but hey, the cottage is about getting together!
Row Boat Serving Bowl with Wood Serving Utensils
This row boat serving bowl is campy but still somehow so chic! Of all of the gifts for the cottage, this will probably delight the most because it’s so hilariously cute but practical too.
Wind Chimes or Hanging Bells
I love the weathered look of these bells but really any tinkling chimes/bells are perfect for a cottage or rural home. I recently made a wreath with really similar bells and I am obsessed (details Monday!). This sweet triangle dinner bell is a unique gift idea too.
For a memorable gift, pool together and splurge on these modern St. Croix Adirondack chairs. They come in tons of colors! I want these so much – Adirondack chairs have to be on my must-buy list next summer.
Candles are sometimes seen as that “I have no idea what to buy you gift,” but for country folk and cabin life, they take on a whole new meaning! I LOVE candles because I, pardon the pun, really burn through them. Sure, they’re cozy, but I also need them so often just for light when the power is out. Love the look of these MCM inspired lanterns – a grouping would be gorgeous on a table or mantle – and handy when the lights go out. For serious outages, I love this teal lantern – it burns for 45 hours!
I hope you like these gift ideas for the cottage, cabin, lake house and all manner of country mice.
Thanks for your great gift guides….they are really thoughtful and original. By far the best guides I’ve seen this year!
Author
Thank you! That is honestly so nice to hear because I have put a lot of time and thought into them. That feedback is super great so thanks so much! I have a few more coming up too: gifts for dudes, gifts for Canadians, gifts for DIYers and gifts for the host with the most. The only downside is I keep finding stuff I want lol.
These are great ideas! Since I just became a lake girl (Lake Michigan) and have a mid century modern house, these are fun ideas. At some point, I will have to share with you a picture of our kitchen that we remodeled. Hint-we have teal and orange in it.
Author
Ooo I would love to see, it sounds gorgeous! I definitely need more teal inspiration in my life, everyone seems to be going more neutral these days.