In contemporary usage, picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors, ideally, taking place in a beautiful landscape. Picnics are often family-oriented but can also be an intimate occasion between two people, a romantic picnic, or a large get together, company picnics and church picnics.
On romantic and family picnics a picnic basket and a blanket are usually brought along. Outdoor games or some other form of entertainment are common at large picnics. Large picnics can also be referred to as barbeques.