How to Plan a Picnic for Mother’s Day

Show Mom how much you care by organizing a special picnic in her honor on Mother’s Day. Whether you want a park or beach setting, small or large crowd, these are some helpful pointers to make the most of it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Choose a scenic venue for your outdoor celebration. You can choose a nearby park or beach, or go somewhere special your mother loved to take you when you were a child.

2. Decide on your budget for the picnic and who you want to invite-–siblings, other family member and your Mother’s close friends and neighbors. Make a list and shop a few days ahead.

3. Plan your menu based on whether you will cook and barbecue at the site or not, the number of guests, and the load you will be able to carry easily to the picnic site. Keep in mind your Mother’s favorite dishes and her likes and dislikes. This is her day and your aim is to make it one to remember for her.

4. Make sure your Mom doesn’t have to do anything except turn up. Tell her when to be ready and pick her up or arrange for her to be driven to the picnic.

5. Make sure you have the essential utensils you’ll need for the picnic-–items like folding chairs, paper or plastic plates and cups, a bottle and can opener, a corkscrew if you’re serving wine, plastic containers, napkins and trash bags to truck away your garbage.

6. Prepare as much of the cold food – salads and cooked meats--as you can the night before the picnic and refrigerate it.

7. Pack your food and utensils in easy to carry cardboard boxes or in picnic baskets if you have them. Put the heavier items on the bottom of the load and the lighter ones on the top.

8. Pack flashlights or lanterns in case the daytime picnic carries on into the night.

9. Carry sunscreen, insect repellent and some extra clothing in case it gets chilly.

10. During the picnic, make a toast to your Mother to thank her for all she did for you and your siblings. Tell her that all of you appreciate her ever so much.

11. Take photos. Later combine the photos in an album, or if your mom uses a computer, download them onto a CD Rom and give them to her as a souvenir of a great day.

12. Shower your Mother with gifts throughout the day beginning with a bunch of flowers.

Tips & Warnings

• You can lighten your load by asking your guests to bring some food, deck chairs and other picnic necessities, like blankets, towels and games.
• Make the event a fun experience for everyone involved by not losing your cool when things don’t go exactly as you planned.
• Buy red carnations, the official Mother’s Day flower, as a gift for your mom.
• Backpacks are handy replacements for picnic baskets -- especially if you have to carry your picnic food and utensils for a longer distance to the picnic site from where you park.
• If you pick a public park or beach for your picnic you may not be able to serve alcohol. You may also have to book a site and pay for a fire pit permit if you want to cook. Check with your local authorities in advance.
• If you pick a picnic site in open countryside, make sure you don’t trespass or damage property.
• Invite guests long enough in advance because your mom is not the only one being celebrated on this day, most moms are.

[daydreamgalaxy]

on 7/13/2009 Thanks for the advice! 5*s!

[showpup]

on 11/23/2008 What a sweet idea - one Mom would remember, for sure. 5 stars

[abigail]

on 4/18/2007 If you pick a public park or popular place, make sure you show up early to get a spot, (or make a reservation if it's an option), because this is a popular idea on Mother's Day.