Picnic On The Riverbank
Toussaint, Fernand
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Family Picnics
By Elizabeth Palmer
Recently I read my son's story
book, where he wrote about our last holiday. It said "We are going
to Tathra, because we never get to go anywhere". I'm afraid it's
true. Lack of funds and my husband's work commitments generally means we
are staying home when other people are leaving town. But one thing we do
do - and do often - is have picnics.
Picnics are a great way to spend some quality family time
together. And it's a fun way to do something special when a holiday is
out of the question. Even though it doesn't take up much time, it can be
just as meaningful as a holiday. I can remember each picnic our family
has had - and I know the children do too.
The best thing about having a picnic, is it's easy to have a picnic that
suits your needs. If you only have an hour to spare, you can make a quick
snack and take it down to the local park or river. If you want to make a
day of it, packs lots of food and lots of games and pick a place that is good
for a walk or a swim. And don't forget to take a camera, so you don't
miss out on your "holiday shots".
If money isn't an issue, pack
some special food that you don't generally eat. Splurge on the kinds of
foods that you generally pass by in the supermarket. If you're on a
budget, then limit the foods to less expensive ones. Enhance the
experience by cooking some food with your children beforehand.
Picnics can also be a great time to socialise with other people without
having to spend a lot of time preparing your house or trying to impress.
Ask people to bring along their own picnic lunch or a meal or snack to
share. On the subject of socialising, I've found picnics are a fun way to
have a cheap stress-free birthday party. Children seem to have more
fun in an outdoor environment and there's very little cleaning up to do
afterwards.
Our family has special
picnic spots that we go to often. They feel like our own special
places. But we also like to try out new spots. There are so
many places you can go to have a picnic; neighbouring towns, spots by a
river, playgrounds, historic buildings, botanic gardens, national parks.
When all you need is a picnic rug and a hamper full of food, there
are tons of possibilities. I could have a picnic at a new spot
every week and still never run out of places to go.
We also have special days when we have picnics. Boxing Day is
a good day for us to have a picnic. It gets rid of some of those
Christmas leftovers. However, I do live in Australia and the weather
might be a bit better for a picnic on Boxing Day for me than it is for
you.
A picnic can become a pain if you are not prepared. Check and
double-check your food hamper. Do you have enough plates, knives, serving
spoons, napkins? Make sure you have a picnic rug if you need one.
Check the weather and be prepared. Take sunscreen, hats and aeroguard if
necessary, or warm coats if the weather is cooler. If there's a
possibility of rain go somewhere where you can eat under shelter.
Think about ways you can make your picnic even more special. Take
a pretty tablecloth, pretty napkins and a nice centrepiece. Write notes
to your family, telling them how much you love them and love spending time with
them, and place them under their plates. Include a favourite food for
each family member. Pack a surprise that nobody knows is in there.
Create your own picnic traditions. How about a special song you sing on
the way to the picnic? My sons and me sing a song about a bumpy road that
always has everybody in giggles. Create a picnic king or queen.
Make special hats that you only wear for picnics. Create a rule that
everybody going on a picnic has to wear something blue or red.
If everybody is starting to get stressed or irritated, then it's time to
rethink what you're doing. If you hate cooking, don't feel like you have
to cook food for the picnic. Buy it instead. Don't make everybody
play a certain game if nobody really likes it. The picnic should reflect
what your family likes doing. Remember that the idea of a picnic is to
bond as a family and have fun.
