Summertime is here and everyone is excited to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. And what better way to have fun in the sun than have a picnic with family and friends? You can have a picnic almost anywhere, like a local park or even your own backyard. But picnics do take a bit of planning to make sure they're successful. So let's take a look at a few things you need for a great picnic.

Food: Obviously, one of the first things you need for a picnic is some food. You should choose foods that are easy to eat, like sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, and even chips and dip. Don't forget to pack the food in convenient containers, use some toothpicks for easy eating, and bring whatever condiments are necessary.

Tableware: If you're eating food, you need tableware to eat it with. Make sure to pack utensils, plates, cups, and even some mini margarita glasses. You should also pack something to help serve the food, like mini tongs and serving boards. This way, you'll be able to keep the food off of the ground.

Blanket or tablecloth: No matter where you're picnicking, you need to bring either a tablecloth or blanket. If you're going somewhere that has picnic tables to use, bring an old tablecloth to cover the table with. And if you're going to a park, or staying in your own yard, grab a pocket blanket so you don't have to sit directly on the ground.

Activities: While you're outside enjoying a picnic, you should have some fun activities to enjoy, too. There are plenty of little gift ideas and activities that you can get for your picnic -- some tiny Uno cards, mini horseshoes, or even some mini soccer balls can all be easily packed and keep you entertained.

Lighting: Picnics aren't just for lunch, they can be for dinner or a late night snack, too. If you're planning a picnic for later in the day, like at sunset, or even after dark, then you're goinlittle gift ideasg to need some sort of lighting. Bringing along some candles and some battery-operated string lights can provide both light and a fun or romantic ambiance for your evening picnic.

Picnics are always fun and are super easy to put together. And with retail sales hitting a record of $5.7 trillion in 2017 alone, you can buy all of the little gift ideas and activities for your picnic online at your convenience.