Summer gifts worth putting on your wishlist
Your birthday is in July and your list still says "wool socks" and "the Le Creuset casserole". Nobody wants to give you a casserole in a heatwave. Warm weather changes what is useful to own, and the people buying for you between June and September will pick better if the list has changed with the season.
Kit for being outside
The picnic blanket with a waterproof underside is the single most-used summer object on most lists. It goes to the park, the beach, the open-air cinema and the damp grass at the festival, and it costs 30 euros. A small Bluetooth speaker sits next to it on the list for the same reason. A water bottle that keeps drinks cold for a day (a Hydro Flask or a Chilly's) and a cooler bag that fits on the back of a bike round it off.
If your summer means sand, add a towel that shakes clean and a pop-up shade for the two o'clock hour when the beach is unbearable. If it means a tent, put the exact tent on the list, because the person buying will not know a two-season from a four-season model. A hammock with tree straps and a lantern that charges in the sun are the things campers actually use and rarely buy for themselves.
Kit for eating in the garden
Solar string lights do more for a garden dinner than anything else at the price, and nobody has to run an extension lead across the lawn. If you cook outside every week, list the proper barbecue tools, a chimney starter, a decent meat thermometer. If you are still putting out the wedding plates on the decking, a set of melamine ones ends the breakages. A large glass jug for sangria or lemonade turns up on a lot of lists for a reason.
Games are worth adding too. Giant Jenga, a set of Mölkky, or a boules set that lives by the back door. These get pulled out for every barbecue from June to September and work for a seven-year-old and a grandmother alike.
Sun cream and ways to stay cool
List the sun cream you will actually put on. A factor 50 that does not feel like glue gets reapplied; a greasy one stays in the bag. Aftersun with aloe, an insect repellent that does not smell of a chemistry lab, and an SPF lip balm are cheap and easy for a colleague to buy. A cooling towel for after a run and a small handheld fan for the tram are the things that actually get you through July.
What to wear
A wide-brimmed hat and a good pair of sunglasses are the two summer clothing gifts people wear every day, so put the exact ones on the list rather than "a hat". Then the fabrics: a linen shirt, a cotton dress, running gear that breathes. A light scarf earns its place for over-cooled offices and trains. Add sandals that survive pavement and sand, in your size, and a canvas tote that goes to the market on Saturday and the beach on Sunday.
Making the house bearable
During a heatwave, a strong fan or a portable air conditioner is the difference between sleeping and not. That is a good candidate for a group gift if it costs 300 euros. Self-watering planters keep the balcony alive through a fortnight away, and a snake plant or a few succulents survive a summer of neglect indoors. Outdoor cushions, a couple of citronella candles and a hose with more than one spray setting are small things that get used every evening.
Putting the list together
Think about what your summer actually looks like. Beach every weekend, a week of hiking in the mountains, or dinners in the garden with the neighbours. The list should read like that summer. Spread the prices from a 6-euro lip balm to the 300-euro air conditioner so a colleague and a parent can both find something. You can create a wishlist in a few minutes, swap out the casserole, and share it before the first birthday of the season.
