So now it's Friday, and you haven't made a single plan. You haven't ordered your copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You didn't make arrangements to hang out with your fellow book geeks at some HP extravaganza. You're going to miss out on a full evening of Harry Potter-inspired food, games, and obsessive-fan conversation....

...and now you're regretting it. Sure, you can probably pick up a copy at Target tomorrow like a sane person, but where's the fun in that? This is an extraordinary event--possibly the only time any of us will ever see thousands of people foaming at the mouth over a book release. It is truly a sight worth seeing.

But never fear! We here at Wordcandy understand that some of our readers struggle with personal organization, and sometimes even the coolest events seem to come at us out of nowhere. So just in case you're one of those people who woke up this morning and thought, "Crap--it's TODAY?!", we've come up with a last-minute Harry Potter celebration that you and your equally disorganized friends can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.

Where To Get Your Book:
24-hour grocery stores are pretty much the only source for unreserved copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. If you want a copy at midnight you'll probably need to get in line by 10:00PM, but the whole experience will give you a nice opportunity to get to know all of the other slacker HP fans in town.

What to Eat:
If you're really motivated, try any of the recipes available here. They look gorgeous--but very time-consuming! If you're looking for something much, much easier, we suggest that you dig out your Halloween cookie cutters, buy pre-made sugar cookie dough, and churn out some Harry Potter-inspired witch, owl, and cat cookies. When you (and maybe some nice new friends you met while waiting in line at the supermarket) get back to your house, you'll find that the whole book-reading experience is really enhanced by a plate of warm cookies and a glass of milk*.

*Unless you're over 21, whereupon we suggest you keep reading.

What To Drink:

If you're under 21, we suggest that you try some spiced cider, hot chocolate, or making your own butterbeer. They'll taste good, and the sugar will help you stay awake long enough to slog through one more chapter. But if you're over 21, we suggest trying out Chartreuse liqueur. It's perfect for a Harry Potter party--it's green, it's yummy, and it will help you gloss right over any irritating plot holes that you might run across!


Please note: We don't usually do blog posts on the weekend, but look for our quickie review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sometime tomorrow! We don't promise coherency, though--we're going to be really, really tired.

Labels: Events, Harry Potter