How To Have A Great Picnic
[ 3 July 2007 ]
“Apparently a recent survey was done where they found that a decline in people’s social values was strongly linked to a decline in the number of picnics they went on! More picnics = a friendlier, more co-operative world!”
While correlation is not the same as causation, receiving the above comment from Annaloren excited me so much that I thought I should write about how to have a great picnic!
Realistically, a picnic can be held anywhere — in a park, up a tree, beside a swimming pool, on a bed or on the floor of the living room — so don’t feel like just because it’s winter (for some of us), you are doomed to be excluded from all the picnic fun! Certainly, there is a great joy to be had from sitting in the sun, birds tweeting in the fresh air, but it is not absolutely necessary. Some of the best picnics happen on a bed, with a good spread of food, a cute person beside you & the rain pelting down outside.
There are, however, some essential elements. These are as follows.
Guests
Humans tend to be the best sort of guest, though if you’re having a particularly trying week, you might prefer to picnic with pets, stuffed animals or a handsome-looking gherkin. Picnics are best if they’re sort of impromptu, so don’t agonise over a “guest list” or anything of the sort. It is best to hold a picnic the day you think of it. Send out a text message to the chosen few, & don’t give too much detail. “Picnic, my place, 3pm, byo treats!”
Food & drink
Without food or drink, your “picnic” will really just be you sitting cross-legged on a rug, twiddling your thumbs; not as thrilling as it sounds. If you have mad kitchen prowess, feel free to wow your friends (pets/stuffed animals/gherkins) with a gorgeous batch of cupcakes, fudge brownies, profiteroles, or a tower of trifle the size of your torso. If not, or you just don’t have the inclination, go & buy something. It’s up to you what you purchase — some picnics you might want to aim for a sugar coma, while others will be more sedate. Some excellent picnic foods include sandwiches with the crusts cut off; corn chips & salsa; salami, cheese & bread; turkish delight & little ice-creams (which of course you should keep in a cooler/chilly bin/eskie).
Depending on your guests & your disposition, you may want to supply alcohol. I would personally be inclined to take a flask of Parfait d’Amour, but that’s just me. Some people will just be happy with beer or wine. A big bottle of Coke or lemonade will usually please everyone (except, uh, diabetics). Remember the cups!
Something to sit on
What you use for this purpose will probably be different depending on the circumstances. Spreading your duvet out on the living room floor is probably acceptable, but taking it to a park may not be. Use your discretion & brain power! I own a tartan rug with a waterproof bottom which folds up & has a handle for easy carrying, which is fantastic! Some people would encourage the use of little folding chairs but I think they’re a bit naff, I’d prefer all my friends squished up cosy on a blanket! (I like this rug very very much.)
Other things you may wish to have at your picnic include an MP3 player with portable speakers, a kite, Twister, candles (citronella if you’re outside) or flowers as decoration, plates & bowls & implements, trashy magazines, a Polaroid (or digital or video) camera, musical instruments, something for boys to kick (by which I mean a ball or hackysack, not a puppy), a portable grill, bubbles (as in soap liquid & a wand, but I guess champagne would be equally welcome), a book of poetry to read aloud, & something warm for when the sun goes down (hats, scarves etc., & if you can take extra then do, because it means your guests will stay longer).
You will, of course, need to devise a picnic outfit. For girls, a long skirt or dress is the ultimate thing. Boys should go for shorts, long socks & Oxford shoes. I had a quick look around & found:
Tea Rose Voile Picnic Shift, super cute.
Ants picnic gingham bag, totally perfect for throwing around & accidentally grass-staining.
‘Soccer moms are hot’ skirt, which I actually totally love even though it is really not my style at all.
Teeth slip dress, yayyy! Bare those gnashers!
Salmon dots reconstructed slip dress, perfect perfect perfect.
Smoky purple vintage slip dress, $18 & size XL!
Trees slip, the ideal thing for lounging beneath the branches.
Everyone should wear HATS, HATS, HATS!
Felt cloche hat, absolutely beautiful.
Polka-dot rockabilly veil hat, I LOVE this so much.
Operetta alice band, totally gorgeous.
Crown cocktail hat... “They say that the European royalty are becoming far less formal these days. That may be true, but just how does one co-ordinate a crown with daywear? Here’s a smart solution! All the royal glamour without those worrisome diamonds and emeralds.”
Fascinator miniature top hat, in a lovely fresh green.
If anyone brings a child, make it wear this! Awww!
Really, you have it made if you’re spending your time with people you like while stuffing your face! Just be sure to remember your sunscreen, & take your rubbish with you!
Extra For Experts:
Erm, picnic skirt anyone?!
Give your guests a cute doggybag of leftovers to take home!
BBC picnic food ideas! (Those Poms know how to do a good picnic.)
Planning a romantic picnic for two, from picnicfun.com.
How to host a picnic, from The Observer. (More Poms!)
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
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Great post! God I laughed. GORGEOUS picture with the skirts and the long grass. I normally don’t wear hats as I am shockingly vain about my hair, but the polka-dot and coronet ones are fabulous! (I’m all happy now. Thank you.)
Just ensure your skirt is roomy enough to sit cross-legged in! Miniskirts = discomfort or exposure
Nadine — Ooh, I love hats. I’d like to own more, most of the ones I own are the knitted (sparkly) kind. Though I do have a baseball cap which says COMPTON on the front which I adore ;> They’re a bastard to store, which is my main problem. I don’t have much storage space & my wardrobe is PACKED, it’s bad :\
india — Good point! Yes, short skirts can be a bit dangerous like that!
yes! and using real plates, teapots and cups and saucers is totally the way to go.
Wow, that’s a lot of Etsy for one blog entry! Handmade stuff is so awesome, isn’t it?
sarah — Absolutely! Decadence forever!
Ajda — Yeah, I guess I pimped them out a little bit! The stuff on Etsy is amazing & I would SO rather give my money to someone running their own business than a huge multinational. I am yet to buy anything off Etsy but I have my eye on a few things, soon soon!
hee! i am having an impromptu living-room-floor picnic with one of my friends today. actually it’s just an excuse to watch lots of dvds (i am one of those awful people who is constantly like “HAVE YOU SEEN SUCH-AND-SUCH MOVIE?” “no…” “it’s SO GOOD! you must watch it!” so he is coming over to watch all the movies i have recommended to him in the past few months :D) and eat lots of lovely pre-packaged junk food. nom nom nom.
xoxo
I was helping out on a trip with some primary school kids today but it got cut short because of the rain! I got drenched walking home so when I got in I stripped down to my undies and jumped into bed! I’ve really enjoyed scoffing grapes and sandwiches all bundled up in my duvet!! I have to get up now though, my friend has just invited me to her house for lunch along with some other friends!! She’s making risotto!! Yum yum yum!! I hope everyone enjoys there picnics!! Yay! What a lovely post!!!!
Sigh Now I’m longing to go on a picnic.
Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Cloche Hat? I used to wear one in highschool and now I definitely need to own one before winter or fall starts.
Also, on an unrelated note, I was wondering if you could write an article on clothes to interview in. What do you think makes a good impression, what is too risky? I like being remembered, but not as “that girl in the crazy outfit that doesn’t belong here at this job,” so I always play it safe. Any suggestions?
Britt — Good idea. My mother always told me, “If you want to be remembered, wear a hat!” A chic hat obviously, not a beanie or a cap!
I used to interview in a white tuxedo shirt, a pleated black knee-length skirt, black stockings & heels. Sometimes a cardigan, depending on the time of year. Conservative, but stylish. Of course, it all depends on the sort of job you’re going for…
oooh fun. I love picnics.
I recently went on a picnic with ONE person I knew and about 5 people I didnt (of course I left with 5 new friends)! it was a lot of fun, but we all brought wayyyy too much food! we had said picnic in the park, as a celebration of the last day of school (forever, for me) and after we’d gorged ourselves on bite sized peices of pizza, sandwiches, browinies and cupcakes, we went and jumped around in a nearby creek.. then washed off in the sprinker with a whole bunch of little kids. I love picnics, even if I hate the idea of eating outside. :S
I’m completely stuck on “a handsome-looking gherkin”....that has given me the giggles something chronic!
yes yes i LOVE picnics!!! and triple YES, EVERYONE should wear more hats, picnic or not!!! i own at least 15!! haha!!
when it was cherry blossom season in japan, my friends and i had picnics like 3 times a week!! we’d play badminton. or frisbee. or baseball!! then strangers would join in and we’d form teams and go crazy over homeruns, and soon we’d all be friends! then we’d all go for drinks and all get drunk together singing “it’s a pirates life for meeeeeeee”.
What a lovely selection of hats! Reminds me to get off my arse and take the photos for the article I’m writing about hats.
If only I could have a picnic…it’s pouring with rain here practically everyday :(
Ooou, we love picnics! We’ve had small spreads of food on the floor in our apartment, eaten noodles with our hands by the lake when we forgot utensils, and devoured roasts off of bone china in the rosegarden at dusk. What an inspiring post…
Indoor picnics while it’s raining are tres romantic! Light candles, spread a blanket out on the floor, and dine as if you would under blue skies.
You can even get married at a picnic, like I did!!! (Well, we got married first, then had a picnic for 80 on the lawn…) Now that is one for only the most serious picnic experts.
For some reason I can’t access my wedding photos online, I’ll try to remember to send you some tonight! xxx
lovely post. picnics float my boat. st kilda botanical gardens on a summery day is THE BEST. pond, trees, flowers, ducks, cockatoos, hothouse… there’s even a decent loo.
now can i please become the girl on the grass for just a moment?
Wedding picnic!!!
http://good.net.nz/wedding/wedpix/index9.html
I am a BIG BIG picnic fan, obviously :-)
Be careful of bringing alcohol to outdoors picnics, it’s not allowed in most public places… Tho my boyfriend and I sometimes disguise our wine as juice by transfering it to empty juice bottles, and drinking it in small plastic glasses. If you bring just a little bit it compliments your food nicely, without making you tipsy enough to be suspcious :-)
Annabel, those pictures are gorgeous! Well done, such a beautiful idea.
Annabel, those pictures are gorgeous! Well done, such a beautiful idea. Be careful of bringing alcohol to outdoors picnics, it’s not allowed in most public places… Tho my boyfriend and I sometimes disguise our wine as juice by transfering it to empty juice bottles, and drinking it in small plastic glasses.
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