How To Throw a Bookish Birthday Tea Party

Last November, I turned 30, and while many people would dread such a birthday, I was excited. To quote Nick Miller from New Girl: "I think I am finally aging into my personality!"

So, of course, I threw myself a bookish birthday tea party!

How does one throw a bookish birthday tea party? Here is what I did!

What goes together better than books and tea? In my case, a bookish birthday party also included a complete tea party. There were scones, charcuterie, cookies, quiche, and a Victoria sponge cake (lovingly baked by my husband), not to mention several pots of different teas.

Once everyone had eaten and mingled, we also served champagne, which helped loosen folks up for the next part...

For a bookish birthday party, you ought to include books in SOME way! For me, I had the guests bring books rather than gifts. Each guest brought a favorite book of theirs, with a brief sentence or two explaining the book without giving anything away.

Then, we all sat down with our tea and had a blind book exchange, taking turns reading over what others had brought, each choosing a book, and unwrapping them all together. Basically, the book exchange functioned much like a "blind date with a book."

The giggles and glee over each guest unwrapping their books was such fun! Sometimes, they got something wholly unlike what they would normally read, sometimes it was something right up their alley, or sometimes it was something intriguingly new to try!

Finally, be sure to decorate with plenty of flowers and pretty books! With that, you will have your most perfect bookish party ever.

Growing up is fun, and with growing up comes the realization that you can like what you want, despite what anyone else thinks. Growing up, ironically, means getting back in touch with one's inner child. In my case, it meant throwing myself a tea party and book exchange for my 30th birthday, and it was absolutely wonderful. But another thing about growing up is that a tea party can also include champagne!

Happy partying!