There’s nothing better than grabbing a bottle of wine and a basket full of food while walking to the lush green grass to enjoy a warm summer picnic. You arrive, grab your sunny spot and enjoy a wonderful afternoon feeling the warmth of the sun while getting a great tan. What a wonderful time.
But, the warm days of the summer are now gone and the cold winter is upon us. As Ned Stark from TV’s Game of Thrones would say, “winter is coming”.
Does that mean possibilities of having some picnic fun are over? Not necessarily. We have winter picnics to keep the fun alive.
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors and cover yourself with warm blankets. You can enjoy a picnic in the chilly winters as long as you prepare ahead and carry the right gear with you.
It feels great to hold a picnic in the clean white blanket of winter snow beneath the blue sky. People can huddle up around a winter bonfire, tell stories, and keep themselves warm with coffee while bundled up in scarves.
Winter picnics require a lot more planning than ones hosted during summer months. If you aren’t careful planning a winter picnic, you will end up with chilled toes and fingers. To help you plan a winter picnic, we’ll discuss the essential things you need to focus on when organizing a winter picnic.
Leave the Town
A winter picnic in your own city isn’t fun. If possible, head to a farmer’s field or try going to a golf course. If you can’t get out of town, head to the biggest park in your vicinity. Find a sweet spot with a great view and some sunshine.
Dress to Stay Warm
It is obviously a bad idea to go to a winter picnic in shorts, right? But, unfortunately, some girls want to look cute in sub-zero temperatures and go to picnics in shorts that barely reach the knees. Ladies, this is not the time to look cute. The only thing you should be worried about is protecting yourself from the shivering cold. To do that, you must wear warm clothing. Wear a coat and carry blankets. Bring warm mittens and hat. Wear boots too. You don’t want to get frostbite.
If it’s a sunny day and you are planning to stay out for several hours, you should apply sunscreen on your face before heading out. The sun rays are reflected by the snow and you can get sunburn even in cold winter.
Get a Picnic Basket
It’s a good idea to get a picnic hamper for a winter picnic. From basic picnic baskets to expensive hampers that have everything you need for an awesome winter picnic, there is a lot of variety available to you. Most basic picnic baskets include the standard items like plates, cutlery and glasses.
The more fancy ones come with cooking utensils, insulated cooling sections and high quality tools. These are all useful for a winter picnic. If you haven’t invested in the picnic basket yet, consider buying a good picnic hamper to protect all your essential items from the snow.
Pack the Right Food
Since it is winter, you’ll need warm food items. Soups and steamy stews are perfect for beating the cold and keeping you and your family or friends warm. Don’t forget homemade cookies and a thermos of hot cocoa.
The idea with winter picnic is to carry foods that don’t require assembling because you’ll most likely be wearing mittens or gloves. Therefore, take food that can be easily eaten. Burritos and sandwiches are perfect for winter picnics and creamy chowder or hot soup can be easily served. Other food options for a winter picnic include meatloaf sandwiches, cheese platters or anything else with extra spice.
Winter picnic isn’t complete without a fire that sets the mood. So, make sure that you’re allowed to start a bonfire in the area where you are planning to hold the winter picnic. You won’t be able to toast those marshmallows if you aren’t allowed to start a fire.
Prepare Seating
Regardless of the fact that you are wearing warm clothing, if you sit directly on snow, you will feel the extreme cold. So, if there aren’t any benches on-site, bring plastic backed picnic blankets and sit on them to stay dry and warm. If your picnic spot is far from home, bring sleeping bags too.
If fire isn’t allowed and you have planned to stay until dusk, bring candles.
Check the Weather
Keeping yourself, your family and your food warm during the winter is essential, so you must plan in advance and watch the weather. A winter picnic can be enjoyed with a light snow drizzle, but you do not want to head out when a hail storm is on the horizon. If the weather is expected to turn bad, either plan a picnic very close to your house or postpone it. Pick a day when it is simply chilly and there is no rain or snow expected.
Even if the forecast is clear, stay prepared for the worse. Weather can take a turn for the worse and it would be a big mistake to assume that it won’t on your big day. So, when you are heading out for a winter picnic, carry an umbrella and take blankets, and lighter or matches.
Activities
Many different activities can be enjoyed during a winter picnic. If you are planning a winter picnic with your family and kids, consider building a snowman or an igloo. Pack a snowman kit with pebbles or buttons for the eyes and a carrot for the nose. Collect twigs from the picnic site for the arms and put a scarf on the neck. Other activities that you can enjoy with your family include throwing snowballs (don’t aim for the face), collecting pine cones or making snow angels.
If you’re planning to go out on a winter picnic with friends, consider bringing loudspeakers and playing rock songs or getting involved in active games like snowshoe races or tag that keeps the blood circulating. You can also get inflatable games like bouncy boxing, giant twister, sumo wrestling etc. to enjoy a winter picnic with your friends.
If your plan is to go out on a winter picnic with someone special, consider making the atmosphere romantic. Think of what is special for you and your partner and implement in into the winter picnic. You could select a romantic music playlist or bring some candles to ignite the occasion. If you are planning to hold a winter picnic for a day that is of significant importance like an anniversary, include something that is special for both you and your partner. Complete your winter picnic plans for your significant other with the perfect drink. Summer brings with it chilled wine and cold ciders while winter’s blessings include hot cocoa and warm mulled wine. Mulled wine can be made easily ahead of the picnic and stored in a thermos. Loaded with spices, cinnamon and ride wine, hot mulled wine is perfect for a picnic treat. There are many different recipes you can use to prepare the perfect mulled wine. If preparing mulled wine feels like too much work to you, then consider taking homemade coco or red wine to enjoy warm drinks while cuddling with your partner.
Planning a winter picnic is although not easy, but if you focus on all the details, you can organize a fun winter picnic that you and your family, friends or significant other will enjoy. You don’t have to spend your winter tucked away in blankets when you can head out to enjoy an awesome winter picnic.
We have highlighted all the important planning details you need to focus on when organizing a winter picnic. Remember to dress properly, watch out for the weather and pack the right foods for your winter picnic. Don’t forget to include fun activities to make your picnic more enjoyable.
If you are holding a large scale winter picnic for your family and friends, you’ll need assistance of a professional picnic planner to make all the arrangements. Catering will be required and more fun activities will have to be planned to keep the guests entertained.
To hire a professional picnic planner for your winter picnic, contact Bay Area Picnic Planners. We are the Bay Area’s only All-Inclusive Award Winning picnic planning company. We can make all the arrangements for your winter picnic including the catering and fun activities.
If you want more information about what we can offer you, call us today at 1-408-298-3001.
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