Once Upon a Time, I Hosted a Party That Got a Little Novel…literally.
Last weekend, I was tasked with throwing my book-loving bestie the birthday party she truly deserved. While doom-scrolling Pinterest for inspiration, I quickly realised every book-themed party idea has been recycled over and over. That’s when it hit me! My Books, Booze and Brews column was born from countless conversations with this friend. So why not turn that concept into the party?
And just like that, the Books, Booze, and Brews Party became reality.
The party went as follows. We set a theme for the night (For hers, we chose “Books That Remind us of the Birthday girl!”) and each guest arrived with a title that captured her personality or reminded us of her. The twist? Everyone also had to bring a cocktail or tea that matched their book. Every hour, we presented our story, explained why it suited the theme, poured our drink pairing, and handed out cups for everyone to enjoy for that hour. By the end of the night, we all had stepped into our stories and sipped the night away!
With the holiday season creeping closer, aka the time of year when leaving the comfort of your house for the pub feels like a personal attack, it’s the perfect moment to bring this cozy, bookish girls’ dream night to life. So here is your step-by-step guide to throwing your own Books, Booze, and Brews Party!
Step One: Pick the Theme
Every great story starts with a strong premise, and your party is no different. The first step is to settle on a theme that will anchor your book and cocktail choices. Some theme examples are:
- A person (“Books that remind us of You!”)
- A holiday or Season (“Christmas Reads only!”)
- A Genre (“Romantasy Nights”)
- A vibe (“Bella Swan’s TBR”)
- Even a liquor (“Tequila-based reads”)
For example, my friends and I are planning on throwing another one of these for our Secret Santa party! Everyone is buying a Secret Santa book and pairing a cocktail with it. We will have our Christmas lights on bright, the Nutcracker on the speaker, and Christmas PJs as the uniform.
If you want to get even more inspired, create a mood board invitation with samples, covers, colors, and aesthetics to help everyone brainstorm ideas to match the mood! Pro tip – I recommend making a charcuterie board that matches the theme so everyone has snacking options while reading!
Step Two: Choose your Pairings
Once the invite has been sent, it is time to pick your novel. This is my favourite part! When I curate my books, booze, and brews pairings, this is my checklist:
- Does it match the theme?
- Do you actually want to read it?
- Can you pair it with a drink?
For my own recommendations, I always start with seasonality. Is there a book set during Christmas? A story set with Halloween frights? A setting perfect to indulge in by the ocean? Ultimately, there is no secret to what to look for when picking your story, but I try to imagine whether someone taking a picture of me reading this book outside in the season would enhance the photo. No one wants to be caught reading A Christmas Carol during a hot summer day! When in doubt, I recommend heading to Toppings and Waterstones to browse around and see if they have any recommendations or if something jumps out at me off the shelves.
Once you’ve picked your book, it’s time for the drink. Just like picking your story, many things can make a good pairing. It can be:
- A drink mentioned in the book (Butterbeer in Harry Potter)
- A cocktail associated with a character or mood
- The color palette or aesthetic of the cover
- Seasonal flavours (think cinnamon, cranberry, gingerbread, apple-spice)
Matching flavours to the season makes the pairing feel intentional – and trust me, it is!
Once again, if you want to go the extra step to make this party feel elevated, ask everyone to bring a mini tasting menu card with their book title, a quote, and the cocktail ingredients for everyone to take home as a party favour! Attach a tea for everyone to drink to your menu card (especially handy during the colder months).
Step Three: Get the party started!
When the night arrives, the magic begins!
Queue up a playlist that matches the vibe. Dark academia instrumentals, holiday jazz, or songs from the film adaptation are some of my go-to starting points. Set out the snacks, light the candles, and let the read-a-thon begin!
Then everyone takes turns throughout the night, revealing their book and drink pairings. A special detail we are adding to our Secret Santa is that everyone has to annotate the inside cover of the book they brought with a note to the receiver as a little reminder of the night. Everyone spends the rest of the evening mixing, sipping, reading, and laughing, inevitably descending into bubbly, tipsy literary chaos. It’s cozy. It’s clever. It’s everything a girls’ night should be.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, holiday, or the simple luxury of staying in, a Books, Booze, and Brews night is the perfect twist on your typical girls’ night! Thoughtful themes, delicious pairings, and the company of women who just get you… I believe there is no better formula for a night worth remembering. I’ll leave you with a toast for your party: may your stories be compelling, your cocktails well-paired, and your friendships the best plot point of all. Happy sipping!