Red and White Umbrella, Foldable Travel Umbrella, Compact Rain Umbrella, Semi-Automatic Umbrella for Women and Men

Anders drives the shuttle from the ski lodge to the village, and he has done it for fourteen winters without once enjoying a sleet storm. He wears three coats. He hates the wet. But he does love his umbrella, a bright red canopy covered in a white knit-style snowflake pattern, and he insists it is a work tool. The lodge manager calls it a hat. Anders calls it morale.

One afternoon a bus of tourists stepped off into a slushy parking lot, none of them prepared. Anders opened the umbrella over the first guest, then the second, then walked six couples to the lobby one by one like a very patient ferry. By the time they reached the door, each guest had taken a photo with the red snowflakes. A little girl asked if they were real. Anders told her they were hand-knit by very small mountain goats. He regrets nothing. The lodge now keeps a tally of how many guests he has walked under the canopy, which stood at four hundred and twelve by New Year, and the goats, naturally, have still not been paid for the knitting.

That umbrella has a loyal following now. It opens with one hand, so Anders can steer a luggage cart with the other, and it folds into a sleeve that fits beside the thermos. The waterproof canopy sheds slush, the ribs hold up in wind and the red lights up a gray day. If winter is not your favorite season, at least take a sweater for your head, and let the weather look at it with some envy.

Call it a sweater for the sky. The red canopy with its white snowflake bands gives a gray sidewalk a pop of festive cheer, turns slush into scenery and makes you easy to find at a crowded bus stop. Open it with one hand, tilt it into the wind and keep walking. Close it at the door, slide it into the sleeve and hang it from your wrist while you stomp the snow off your boots. It works in rain, wet snow and sunny days that need a bit of shade.

Lift-line gifts come in three sizes: the ski patroller who has outlasted three snowblowers, the grandmother who knits sweaters for the dog and the dog's sister, and the neighbor who shovels at dawn and refuses cocoa. The knit-style stripes will start a conversation in every queue. Include a thermos and a note that says the goats approve. Nobody will ask which goats. Open it at the first snowfall, tilt it into the wind like a captain and keep the cocoa close. Sleet, meet your match.

• Size: one size, folds to a compact travel size
• Material: waterproof 100% polyester pongee fabric that dries quickly and retains its shape
• Semi-automatic opening for one-handed use
• Eight strong-fiber ribs
• Sturdy rubber handle with a matching sleeve, wrist strap and Velcro tie wrap
• Care: leave open to dry; wipe clean with a damp cloth
• AKA: red and white umbrella, foldable travel umbrella, compact rain umbrella, semi-automatic umbrella