Umbrella lit with LED lights

If you are like me, you will take any opportunity nature throws at you to eat a meal outdoors.  I will literally crane my neck to check out restaurant patios on which people are dining on a sunny day.  But what about when the sun goes down?  It is time to pack it up and come inside?  Not with a solar powered patio umbrella.

This unique gadget works by charging during the day with a solar panel that is installed on top of the patio or deck in your backyard.  When the sun shines (either directly or through the clouds), it charges batteries inside LED lights.  The light fixture can fit both standard and extra-large patio umbrellas.

I think that the solar powered umbrella lights sound perfect for my parents!  They have a large patio with 2 tables and umbrellas outside their Washington State home.  One of the umbrellas is lit up with regular electric lights, but since we usually only eat outside on sunny days, it makes perfect sense to outfit the patio umbrellas with solar powered LED lights.  Why should they plug in when they can go with solar powered patio gadgets that will brighten their umbrellas?

Solar powered driveway lights

What if you don’t have an outdoor table and chairs set, or perhaps you don’t want to light up your umbrella?  You can still have a solar powered patio with solar powered garden light.  Surprisingly, the solar lights work outside in any locale – sunny or not!  There are many companies that sell solar powered lights.  Just browse a bit on the Internet with that phrase.

Even better, go to your local home improvement store or Costco.  More and more often you can find solar powered gadgets and other solar items for your backyard regularly in stock.

Don’t forget strings of solar powered strings of lights.  They are not just for the holiday season!  Lights can brighten up railings any time of year.  In fact, they are so cheery, no wonder people leave them up year round.  And why worry?  When they are powered by energy from the sun, these strings of lights don’t cost you anything extra for the extended use.

We have already started to create a solar powered patio at our house.  And with the holidays near, we plan on helping other friends and family to convert to the clean, bright energy of the sun with creative solar presents.

What do you think?  Bright gift, or not?  What is on your list this year?