The heat of summer is here, finally. Being a Texas girl, the winter in the Washington, DC area this year was a little too chilly for my liking. Pools open soon and you can already lay out and get your tan on.

It’s also the season for summer backyard parties. I have my patio decked out for a little dinner party. The only thing it really needs to complete it are some of those cute bulb string lights from Target or Home Depot.

If you attend a dinner party or outdoor get-together, it’s really etiquette and nice to give your host a gift. I put together a little grouping of some great summer gift ideas. You will be the talk of the party when you give these sweet presents away.

Here are a few ideas pictured on the left that might get your creative juices flowing. Homemade gifts are always cheaper and mean more to the person hosting the party.

DIY DRINK LEMONADE KIT: What a cute idea to give a little DIY lemonade drink kit. Just buy a plastic clear pitcher from Target or Walmart, add a few big lemons and a wooden spoon.

BOWTIE WATERMELON: For a real simple darling gift, tie a cute bow around a medium sized watermelon. This is creative and also practical. You can whip out a knife at the party and everyone can enjoy this fruit of the summer.

TERRACOTTA BERRIES: Gather some fresh berries at the farmers market or local grocery store, add them to a cute inexpensive terracotta pot lined with some fun tissue paper.

BEACH PALE FLOWERS: You can get flowers at a pretty good price at Trader Joe’s – but a bouquet for $5.99 and add them to a cute little beach pale. Your host will love this, and they can use them to add some color to their outdoor tables!