When I was a child, every second Sunday of the month, my parents took us to the nearby mountain hilltops in order to walk, play and eat out lunch in the open. Many times, friends and their children accompanied us and the excursion was transformed to a happy get-together or as we used to consider it, a festivity. But since then, things have considerably changed, time has now become a luxury and the previous carefree children have to find time to their schedule to enjoy a weekend off with their parents. This result should never have been caused due to lack of time. My need to find the right day and time and revive the feeling of experiencing the outdoors, while hanging out with my beloved friends and family, has made me organize picnics over the weekend at the outdoor landscape of my current residence.



Originally, the word "picnic," came from a 16th century French text stating the phrase "pique-nique," which meant "a fashionable social entertainment in which each party present contributes a share of the provisions." Today's definitions update the word "picnic" to mean "a pleasure party in which all partake of a repast out-of-doors," or "an outing or excursion, typically one in which those taking part carry food with them and share a meal in the open air." What I can attest it that enjoying a meal outdoors just about always seems to taste better. Whether the picnic experience takes place under a tree at the mountains miles away from your house, or there at your backyard, organizing a picnic is one of those pleasures one can enjoy when the weather permits so. Thus, spring and summer time are the most obvious seasons people tend to organize picnics, and in the U.S. on the U.S. Independence Day (4th of July) people always go out at the National Mall of Washington, D.C. to walk the area and have a picnic celebrating this national holiday.

So, if I have said enough and you feel almost convinced to try a picnic for yourself, remember that it is one of the most convenient and easy planning outdoor parties you will ever organize. Begin by preparing easy-to-make meals that are capable of being carried in a backpack. Enjoy eating your lunch out in the fresh air and always ask people that are coming to join you to bring the thing they do best. One might bring desert, while another can bring wine and salads. Just speak beforehand and list who is doing what. After that you will be able to coordinate with greater difficulty. The second consideration is the location. The site should be comfortable and everyone attending should be able to feel relaxed and happy.