Birthday party panic attack

[samalulu]

DS is 5 in August and we've booked his party in for the last weekend of July. Invites went out a week ago and I've had 8 refusals and 3 acceptances from a class of 30 to date. I expected some of the class to be away WWYD? Cancel and reschedule for September or hang in there a bit longer to see if more parents confirm? I'm starting to panic. DS will be heartbroken if no one turns up. And so will I!

That's still 3 weeks away.
You're lucky to get so many refusals, though, around here almost nobody sends No RSVPs. You just have to assume.

Wait it out

Leave it another week, and then start asking the parents in person, in a friendly way.

I think you have to expect, if you book it for the holidays, then a lot of people will be away.
As to if you can do it with invitees in single figures - I guess that depends on the activity / type of party you are doing.
However, you now know... a lot of people don't come to parties in the school holidays...they are wither away or just forget (lose track of the days / out of routine, etc.)

Thanks all. It really is a minefield this birthday business!