The Eggnog Picnic

The Holidays are fast approaching. Unfortunately, for a lot of us, the first images that spring to mind are gift lists, crowded malls and not being able to park the car. Car park and mall rage hit an all time high in what is meant to be a time of happy celebrations. Peace and goodwill to all man, except the one who just pinched my car space, pushed in at the checkout, or got the last taxi.

What better way to minimize your exposure at the mall than by shopping online here at Picnic-Basket.com? No matter what Holiday you are celebrating, there are plenty of great and appropriate choices in many price ranges. For those folk who like to imbibe during the season, there are many bar accessory products. Insulated wine totes are the most cost effective, going up in price to cognac and martini sets. A less expensive, but very impressive looking gift would be the 6 bottle wine tote on a trolley. A perfect gift for the person who enjoys plenty of liquid refreshment at their picnic. For those who prefer coffee to alcohol, there are very reasonably priced traveling coffee thermos sets. Again the sky is the limit in this range with more costly items for the coffee lover coming in handy insulated backpacks.

For those of us who live in part of the country that is not too cold in December, there is no better way to entertain the masses than at a holiday picnic. Why overrun your house when you can take over a picnic site? Better still, everyone will have to participate in the clean up and you will not have to clean your own home before and after the event.

All family members can contribute with a plate of traditional holiday food. If appropriate, have a male dress up as Santa later in the proceedings to hand out the gifts. Instead of playing pin the tail on the donkey, the children could play pin the red nose on Rudolph. Bring along the holiday specific napery and some decorations to liven up the picnic site. Pin some mistletoe in a branch. You could even bring some Christmas tree decorations and place them in a nearby tree.

Present all adults with a glass of eggnog on arrival to get the party started and everyone warmed up. Holiday music can be played through a car stereo. You could even encourage everyone to wear their silliest holiday themed clothing.

Many hands make for light work. Have a Happy Holiday picnic and enjoy the great outdoors.

Eggnog Recipe - Serves 10-12 Adults

• 6 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups cream
  
• 8 tablespoons sugar
  
• 3 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 2 cloves
  
• 2 cups bourbon
• 1 cup brandy
  

- In a large bowl, beat the eggs using an electric beater.
- Alternately, add milk & sugar.
- Continue beating until mixture thickens slightly.
- Whip cream in separate bowl. Add to egg mixture.
- Add bourbon and brandy.
- Add in the vanilla essence, cloves, cinnamon & ground nutmeg.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (at least 3 hours).
- Pack in suitable carry container surrounded with ice.

Unique, Fun Christmas Gifts

It’s hard to believe that Christmas will soon be right around the corner. For many people Christmas is a magical time of snowy afternoons, cozy nights sitting by the fire, and enjoyable treasure hunts for a perfect gift to give to those they love.

Many rack their brain for weeks (or months!), trying to think of "just the right thing" to give the people in their life. As the time ticks slowly down they become even more frantic, and many times end up settling on something ordinary because they couldn’t find that one of a kind gift they were looking for.

Well, not this year! We’ve got some great ideas for unique gifts that you can bet your friends and family won’t be receiving from anyone else.

One distinctive idea is a wine and cheese picnic basket from Picnic-Basket.com. This gift would be great for a couple, and might give them the inspiration to head outdoors for a romantic evening picnic for two. Rather than giving them "just another gift certificate", a wine and cheese picnic basket would allow them to do something meaningful together, and give them a chance to reconnect every time they enjoy it.

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes martinis, Picnic-Basket.com offers luxurious, portable martini sets that would impress even the most discerning drinker. Imagine being able to take your martinis outdoors for a quiet evening under the stars! Many people don’t know that portable martini sets are available, and you can bet that any martini-lover would love these high-quality sets. And there’s no plastic here - all the martini sets come with stainless steel pieces, which any martini aficionado knows makes for a better martini.

Another wonderful idea is a coffee backpack. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to head out to the beach first thing in the morning for a soothing cup of coffee and a light breakfast while watching the sun come up? That’s the whole idea behind the coffee backpacks at Picnic-Basket.com. These backpacks enable people to strike out early to enjoy the outdoors, and take their coffee with them for a lovely picnic. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind gift that any coffee lover would enjoy using when the weather is fine.

With the Christmas shopping season right around the corner, it can be easy to get overwhelmed trying to think of "the perfect gift". Giving gifts that can bring joy and rich experiences to those you love are always the best ones, and many of the items featured on Picnic-Basket.com encourage people to head outdoors and enjoy the beautiful scenery Mother Nature has to offer. These gifts can improve the quality of life for those you love and allow them to try something new!