To invite neighbours over for Xmas drinks?

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

Our NDNs moved in about 8 months ago. We exchange pleasantries but we've never become closer than that They seem like such lovely people and I want to get to know them more and become friends, but have always felt silly at the prospect of inviting them over for no reason. I'm a bit socially awkward at times and I know I could make more effort and WANT to make more effort with people.

Would it be weird to invite them to come over one evening in the week leading up to Xmas, for drinks and mince pies? Or would it be too 'out of the blue'?

I think wording it ‘’we’re having mince pies and wine 7 till 9ish on Thursday - be lovely if you can join us!’ takes a bit of the pressure off. It’s just semantics but this wording makes it sound like it’s something that you’re doing anyway, no big deal (to you or them). If they can come, great. If not, you’ll still enjoy mincie pies and wine and hopefully see them another time.

Good idea @daftspunk

Sending a generic 'all people welcome' to maybe 7 or 8 sets of neighbours is a better idea, and takes the pressure, and the expectation, AND all the attention, off one person or one couple.... Now THIS kind of invitation may consider....

I mean this kind of invitation I may consider!!!

olive I see where you are coming from and I agree a more general invitation may be the way to go.

I hate people. I'm antisocial and almost a hermit. A couple of years ago new NDNs moved in down our lane and actually seemed nice, we --DH asked them to a sort of informal Halloween drink and now are actually really good friends. Our dd1 and their dd are friends and we cat sit for each other and actually enjoy nipping in and out for the odd drink etc. (Tbf mrs NDN is also antisocial I think that's why we get on )

We put an ‘Open House’ card in with an Xmas card for a few of our neighbours. We say something like please call in for a festive drink and some Christmas cake any time from x to x on xx.
We have one set of neighbours whom the others don’t like so a wide time means they are less likely to bump in to each other!

Completely normal. Growing up a couple of houses on our road would have a 'neighbours' "at home"' and everyone would come over for an hour or so of an evening for mulled wine and mince pies. This year we've met a few potential friends at the school gates who live on our road and we've been invited for Christmas Eve drinks while the kids get hopped up on sugar and not enough attention wear themselves out playing. I'm actually really looking forward to it - so definitely go for it!

Moved house a few months ago and am hoping one of the PPs having a soirée is one of my new neighbours. Otherwise on with the vat of gluewein and will get writing the invites.

Ach, we have dinner or drinks (get royally drunk)with our neighbours regularly. I think they invited us first. After staggering home at two in the morning, we decided it was good fun and now even go out for dinner together. It helps that we are all total drunken bums.

Invite them over. Just say hey fancy getting together for a drink sometime, let’s get some dates together. It doesn’t mean you all have to be best friends for ever.

A general invite I would feel awkward with, I’d worry it was rhe wrong time and hate to just drop in.

Honestly, just invite them. It’s quite normal,and no big deal. They will probably be delighted.

and takes the pressure, and the expectation, AND all the attention, off one person or one couple.

Ach, what pressure, expectation and attention, it’s a bloody drink with the neighbours, quite a normal relaxed social event.

It’s not an audience with thr queen or the head mistress.

"They seem like such lovely people and I want to get to know them more"

If they have only been in for 8 months and you day hello in passing, I wouldn't warrant this as a sole judgement of them being lovely people.

They may want to keep themselves to themselves? And are happy just saying hello?

We had neighbours who thought we were a lovely couple and wanted to "get to know us better".

Turned out to be the case that they wanted to get to know us better all right.....find out what we did, where we worked, how much we earned, where we bought our carpets, sofa etc and it was confirmed later on finding out the story from others in the street what a bunch of nosebags we had moved next to and why they spent their lives at their windows every time we left or returned home was explained. They had told other neighbours how they were going to invite us round to find out " our life stories"

I would stick to a simple cheerful hello, and would wait and see if they ask you round over the festive season for drinks. If they don't, you can take it they enjoy their privacy.