Picnic

Picnic at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo

Picnic by the sea, using a picnic table in Florida

A picnic is an event to eat outdoors, have a break, enjoy the warm sunshine, and have fun in a free time. It is usually held in a park or other open places. People bring the food for picnics in lunch boxes or in picnic baskets. Food for picnics is prepared on location such as by grilling, or at home. ^[1] After the meal, people often play games and sports, for example, playing catch, badminton and Frisbee. As at other parties, some like to create their own original foods and games.^[2]A lakeside, park or other places with interesting view is perfect for a picnic. In picnic, we often get the freshness of the nature.

History

In the 12th century, a picnic was described in the Persian poetry of The Rubaiyat:

"A book of verse beneath the bough,

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou

Beside me singing in the Wilderness –

Ah, wilderness were paradise enough!"

— Omar Khayyam^[3]

In 1800, the Picnic Society in London was organized by people who met from time to time to dine together.^[4]

In art

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard Manet

A famous painting of a picnic is Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass). It was painted in 1862 by the French artist Édouard Manet.

Related pages

• Hanami
• Bento

References

1. "Picnic Recipes". Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
2. "Picnic Ideas". Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
3. Chisholm, Barbara. "A Loaf of Bread, a Jug of Wine," Austin Chronicle, April 22, 2005; excerpt, "But what constitutes the Perfect Picnic? ... it doesn't get any better than the outdoor dining menu devised by Omar Khayyam in his 12th century 'The Rubaiyat'"; retrieved 2012-6-12.
4. Jackson, Jeremy. (2005). Good Day For A Picnic: Simple Food That Travels Well, p. 4.