Is it weird to invite someone I hardly know to Burns Night party at my house

[CassandrasCastle]

Well, party is stretching it... I'm 27 weeks pg, but hoping to lay on the whisky for everyone else. It's basically going to be a few good pals from my current and previous jobs; not 'just' colleagues, but people I've formed friendships with and see outside work.

DP and I were hoping to have plentiful alcohol available, plus nice non-alcoholic gin and Shloer etc. (LOVE SHOLER) And a wee haggis, along with buffet food. I really want to address the haggis too..and maybe play a couple of games.

Anyway - would it be weird to invite someone who lives round the corner from me, whom I met at prenatal yoga and have exchanged numbers with? We have only ever seen each other at yoga sessions, maybe 6 times now, but get on well.

I just don't want to seem like a needy weirdo by suddenly asking her to my house though - with her DH too. Should I? Just thought I'd put it to AIBU

Go for it!!

@Concernedmumma I think you meant to start a new thread!

What is Burns Night? I'd invite the new friend, whatever it is.

@CassandrasCastle yes why not? The worst she can do is say no but, in many ways, a party invitation is less full on than inviting her and her dh, say to dinner. I hope you have fun.

@Concernedmumma, best to start your own thread for your problem. Maybe report your post to Mumsnet and ask them to move it to the appropriate section where I know you will get lots of good advice from people.

OP go for it. Its a budding friendship that could become a life-long friend, esp with being geographically close and kids close in age.

Concernedmumma Sorry your going through that but I think you should start your own thread.

I think that would be lovely. Sounds like a fun night

I think that would be a lovely idea! I'd just make it clear in the invite that it's an assortment of people you've invited (i.e. that you're not inviting her along to a party of an established friendship group where she'd be the only 'outsider')

Ahh I don’t know how 🙈🙈 I’ve been trying to figure it out. So sorry, I didn’t realise this was someone else thread. I will delete and try again

@Concernedmumma Oh gosh, I'm sorry. Your new thread will get helpful and reassuring responses I'm sure

@Concernedmumma, you can't delete, don't worry about it, but you can report your post by clicking on the report button above it (if you are on a pc, I think there are some dots if you are on a phone). All the best.

@steff13 Burns Night is the birthday of Scottish poet Robert burns, it's a celebration of his life and poetry - Tae a Moose, Tam o' Shanter, many many more... It's also an excuse to wear tartan and drink whisky, and the only time of year many people eat haggis..

I know it sounds silly, but I haven't really done a party/gathering for ages, and I feel rather nervous about it. Also, the guests are all on me - DP's friends are either scattered too far (e.g. Germany...) or already doing something

Invite her. You can make it casual, 'we're having some folk round for Burns' Night if you fancy joining us' kind of thing.

More importantly, how are you planning on cooking the haggis? I find baking produces better results than the traditional boiling.

@WeeSleekitTimerousMoosey Best username ever :p

I need haggis cooking tips! Do you have a go to recipe? Also, is it odd to serve it, with maybe a bowl of mash/neeps, and just have the rest as 'nibbles' (ugh) and a massive cheeseboard?

Ugh, someone is sick and now can't make it, so I only actually have 3 definite confirmations. 5 people supposed to be letting me know today - annoying

If you think that this new friend would fit in with the others you are inviting then do it!

As a side note, my mum and I were out with my nephew in a local supermarket and he asked what is a haggis? Now I could have told him a lot of nonsense about a wee creature that runs around Scotland, but 1 I'm not a liar, and 2 we're Scottish... So instead of saying its a yummy traditional food and leaving it at that, I told him that, plus what it's traditionally made of, and what it's normally served with... My mother almost had a heart attack! I don't see the point in lying, I tell him beef is cows, lamb are the baby sheep etc, and it doesn't put him off eating anything... Why do people lie to children about what they're eating?

I'm actually in England, and just thinking that the friend, who is French Croatian, might not have a clue what Burns Night actually is

@CassandrasCastle "... the only time of year many people eat haggis.."

These people are very strange indeed! I love haggis, and occasionally I'll have it as "Balmoral chicken" rather than just on its own. I've tried "haggis pakora" a few times now, but I don't love it as much, and a jumbo haggis (in batter) supper from the chippy is amazing! Yeah, I do love haggis!

Invite her (and her other half? Even if she says no it opens the door to future gettogethers.

Always microwave the haggis.
3 minutes
Mash with fork then
2-3 more minutes

Then all the more reason to invite her! 😊

Do you have a go to recipe? Also, is it odd to serve it, with maybe a bowl of mash/neeps, and just have the rest as 'nibbles' (ugh) and a massive cheeseboard?

I just prick the skin with a fork, wrap in tin foil and pop in a medium oven for 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes sort of time.

Mash and neeps are traditional, though if I'm honest (and don't mind being deported) I prefer chips and peas, green beans, broccoli myself, but traditional is fine for a wee gathering. Cheese and nibbles are always good, keeping things simple makes for a more relaxing evening. I'd probably have a nice bottle of red with the haggis and maybe a couple of whiskies to try out.

I'm actually in England, and just thinking that the friend, who is French Croatian, might not have a clue what Burns Night actually is
She might like to discover it! My DP is Scottish and always has a Burns Night party and loads of our friends didn't know about it before but love it now.

I'd invite her . And I'd have accepted the invite if I were her (if it wasn't also Chinese New year's Eve so we have other plans)

Invite her! She can always say no.

I've been to a Halloween house party when I didn't know the hosts well (they live about 15 houses down the same road and invited me the year I moved here) and it was a good low key way to meet them and other neighbours/locals.

Thanks all! Realise I am inviting her with ONE DAY'S NOTICE, though which is not great...