Let’s Have a Picnic!

　What can you do on a sunny day?// How about having a picnic/and taking a breath in nature?// Would you buy takeout food/or prefer to cook something?// The day should be enjoyable.//
　The word “picnic” is originally pique-nique  in French.// The first definition of pique-nique  was/“each individual would bring food/and people would eat together.”// It appeared for the first time/in a French book in the 17th century.// That time was a golden age/at the Palace of Versailles.// The nobility enjoyed hunting and outdoor meals.// You can see the early style of picnics/in old paintings.//

　Picnics are loved/in many countries.// In England,/they have been popular/since the 18th century.// Though picnics had their origins in France,/the English also had the ritual of eating a meal outside/on a hunting day.// They preferred a formal eating style/with a set table,/even outside.// For convenience,/they used a basket/to carry tableware for a picnic.// Now,/a picnic basket has become a symbol of picnics worldwide.//
　What do you like to pack/in a picnic basket?// Sandwiches?// Berries?// A smoothie?// It’s fun to grab a bite/in the shade.// Sports equipment is also worth bringing.// People throw flying disks/or play badminton.// That helps to refresh us.//

　Having a picnic is common/in Japan, too.// Many people enjoy a meal/in parks or by the riverside,/especially during cherry blossom season.//
　In 18th century Edo,/hanami  became popular/among the common people.// In those days,/a lacquered box/to pack various sorts of food/was an essential item for hanami.// Another lacquered box with a handle,/called sageju,/was also used for hanami.// Sageju  can hold/not only the lacquered boxes of food,/but also a bottle/containing a beverage.// It is used to help people/bring everything to hanami.// This shows/Japanese people have enjoyed “picnics”/and used “picnic baskets”/since the 18th century!//

　Being outside has a great effect/on your body,/both physically and mentally.// According to some studies,/exposure to sunlight increases the release of serotonin,/a chemical produced/in the brain.// It’s associated with lifting your mood.// Since it also helps a person feel calm and happy,/it’s called “the happy hormone.”// Without enough exposure to sunlight,/your serotonin level can decrease.// A lack of serotonin causes chronic fatigue,/loss of motivation and sleeplessness.//
　There are other ways/to produce serotonin/besides sunlight.// One is by exercising.// Another is by chatting with your family or friends.// Picnics have all of them!//