How hard is it to accept or decline an invitation?

[Pushmepullu]

In the past two days I have messaged 5 friends with invitations (not for the same thing), only one has come back and said yes. One hasn’t replied and three have said they don’t know because they have to check with adult children what they are doing before they can accept. The invitations are for the Christmas period and so tickets will sell out or I can arrange a party for a different day but until they say either way I am left standing.
How bloody hard is it to make a decision and tell your adult children you are not available to babysit so they can go partying? Wish I hadn’t bothered.

From experience of the same kind of thing - very hard!
They are waiting to see if something better comes along.

How bloody hard is it to make a decision and tell your adult children you are not available to babysit so they can go partying? is that really why?

in one case yes, they don’t know what their AC is doing and they may be asked to babysit. They have the GC every weekend and live 5 minutes walk away. Another friend is saying they don’t know what their AC are doing and might be off work!

Then that is ridiculous

I don't know, in general I totally agree with you and think people should just give a yes or no ... but we're also pretty vague around Christmas time as everyone is waiting to see what other family members are doing etc so it's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle to see everyone

I'm afraid it sounds as if they are not too keen to go and do what you have invited them to go and do.

I'd probably be the same. Christmas time is family time for me, so I'd base a lot of my social time around family not friends tbh.

It seems like a general trend nowadays, it's maddening. It's never been easier to reply ...... I noticed it before I left London and it's the same, if not worse in here in Sweden.

As for the comment above about Christmas being for family and not friends, I am sure the OP is not inviting them for a coffee morning on Christmas day.