A man documenting a stay-at-home date with his girlfriend has gone viral for claiming he invented what he refers to as “bottle night.”
Collin Rutherford posted a message on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday (March 4) that described a date plan he enjoys sharing with his partner. The groundbreaking concept? Turning off their electronic devices and chatting while sipping wine.
Highlights
- A man claims to have invented "bottle night" with his girlfriend, a date idea that involves chatting, wine, and no phones.
- His message went viral with over 48 million views, sparking mockery.
- Despite the backlash, some supported the initiative for closer connections with no technology.
“Do you know what a ‘bottle night’ is?” the 26-year-old asked social media users.
He continued: "Probably not because my gf and I invented it during a 2023 blizzard in Buffalo, NY."
Image credits: Anton Mislawsky/Unsplash
“We lock our phones away, turn the TV off...Each grab a bottle of wine and talk.
“That's it, we simply talk and enjoy each other's presence.
“We live together, but it's easy to miss out on ‘quality time.’ What do you think?
“Do you have other methods for enjoying quality time with your partner?”
The simple message, which Collin accompanied with a picture of him and his girlfriend, each with a bottle of wine in hand, has been viewed over 48 million times since it was shared.
The New Yorker added that drinking directly from the bottle instead of using a wine glass was part of the “tradition.”
Colin, who owns Greenbox Storage, a company that offers storage and delivery services for college students in the US, was bombarded with thousands of replies, with many people pointing out that he didn’t invent tech-free bonding experiences.
“This dude thinks him and his girlfriend ‘invented’ getting drunk and hanging out,” someone wrote.
Colin Rutherford said he and his girlfriend came up with the concept in 2023 during a blizzard in New York
Image credits: collin_ruth89
“You have replaced phone dependency with alcohol dependency! Congrats!” another person joked.
A third individual reminded Colin: “I think that’s how our ancestors existed… in like the 1990s.”
Another social media user referred to the young man as a “pioneer,” saying, “This guy invented getting drunk and talking to your girlfriend wow, a pioneer.”
Then, others commented that alcohol wasn’t a prerequisite to enjoying a conversation with your partner, asking, “Have you tried bottle night with no bottle? Get inside each other's minds sober and unravel each others real, untainted thoughts.”
While the businessman agrees that talking doesn’t require alcohol, he also maintains that “you can get inside each other's minds easier” with it.
Someone else, less concerned with the originality of the idea, opted to focus on its contradictions. “How did you take and post this photo without a phone?” they inquired, to which Colin responded with the wide-eye emoji.
"We lock our phones away, turn the TV off...Each grab a bottle of wine and talk," he described
Of course, single individuals didn’t miss the opportunity to recreate the message with a twist. A user named Litquidity wrote, "Do you know what a 'boys night' is? Probably not, because my absolute boys and I invented it during a crisp evening in NYC, Fall 2023.
“We get an Uber, go to a packed bar and...Each grab 10 tequila sodas, talk, hit the handicap stalls, and rizz up some chicks.”
Colin’s message also received support from X users who appreciated his initiative for bonding like the olden days, with one person commenting under the photo, “I like the idea! Cheers.”
“Amazing idea, implementing it!” a separate individual said, while another added, “I'd do this but with water not wine. Beautiful concept.”
Taking advantage of the viral post, Colin has launched a collection of “Bottle Night” t-shirts ($19.99), hoodies ($34.99), and crewneck sweatshirts ($34.99) that come in five different colors.
“This Tee was made in an effort to shine a spotlight on spending more quality time with your loved ones (bottle included, or not)” the e-commerce site reads.
Some people defended Colin and praised him for wanting to have quality time with his partner
