Invited to party and no one there!

[harlacem0507]

As the title starts basically! My 19 month old got invited to a 1st birthday party by a mum I know from baby group (not close but make small talk every week) at our local village hall. Party started at 3pm, we rocked up at 3.20 as our daughter overslept from her nap and no one was there! Bouncy castle was inflated, along with chairs and tables and balloons organized but no one about! We saw the lady that runs the village hall she said they popped back for something and gave her a call, said u have guests, mum replied we are coming back anyway, so we waited another 20 minutes outside the actual doors (but inside the main hall) then the brother of the mum arrived and let us in, a few more people with kids arrived and it got to 4.10 and we decided to leave, there was no juice to get the kids, no food etc as they obviously hadn't come back, I felt a bit bad leaving but aibu to think wtf was all that about? I mean I like to think I'm chilled but this was on another level? My partner was astounded by it! Oh and we didn't leave the present either as it seemed a bit odd leaving it and not being there so my daughter is currently playing with it!

Without sending so much as a chaser text?

She must be a very sensitive soul if she a) couldn’t even bring herself to send a quick message and b) was “too upset” to not go back when people did turn up.

I don't believe anyone would keep the gift.

Family crisis - health or a big argument or something

No one is THAT flaky!

They went to the hall and set up. Something else obviously happened

You should have asked the brother

The mum didn't hire a hall and a bouncy castle and then strop off within 20 minutes of the party start time ffs.

Also, in order to give a gift - the recipient is usually there to receive it.

Since the uncle and other guests arrived 40-60 minutes later, either the OP had the wrong start time or it was a very loose 3pm-for-4.30 timing.

Mix up in timings, if others started arriving at 16:00 or just after, it was probably meant to start at 16:00 or 16:15. Either a typo on the message or a mishearing if a verbal invite.
I'm guessing food and juice wouldn't have been put out, until the party was underway. Birthday parties when my kids were little went along the lines of, party games, then party food and then a couple more games.

The "poor girl" was turning one... I'm not sure she'd be "having a hard time missing out on her big day", or be so miserable she needed a present to make her feel better tbh. Most one year olds are fairly oblivious to the concept of birthdays, parties, presents!

Yes I think it sounds like something happened. Or a mix-up over times.

Although I do notice a theme these days of people with young children being far more fluid about times. It used to be that if the invite said 3pm to 5pm then that’s what time the party was. These days people are like “oh I’m not putting myself out to get there for exactly 3pm, that just means come anytime after that.”

I can understand not leaving the gift. You haven’t even seen the birthday child, how would you know if you just left the gift that it would even make its way to the child? But it’s normal to actually hand the gift to the recipient anyway.

Why is everyone tweaking about the gift?? If the parent rearranges the party then OP can take another gift ffs. It’s a 1 year old

Very strange. I don’t think I would’ve left the gift with no birthday child or parent there, but I’d give it them the next time you’re at baby group, bit mean to give it to your own kid to have instead.

I mean… are you sure you didn’t get the time wrong?? Or maybe a mistake on your invitation? Seems much more logical than assuming the host and all other guests were late.

The fact that others weren't there and they've obviously spent quite a bit on the party would make me think there's been some sort of emergency/ bereavement in the family. They probably messaged most of the people that were meant to be coming but forgot you or didn't have your number.

A bouncy castle for a one year old sounds very wrong.

Are you sure you didn’t mis-read the start time?

I don't think the parents would leave after only 20 minutes. OP arrived there at 20 past. No one at all was there.

yes fair point

At only 20 past? I think they'd wait longer than 20 minutes before packing up and going home!

The baby wasn't even there to give the present to!

FFS, they are not going to pack up and leave after only 20 minutes! The parents never even showed up in the first place! I wish people would read OPs properly.

But the parents weren't even there, to give the present to!

Very strange. We had similar recently where a girl in DC class (reception) mum vaguely organised party (sent a text 3 days before) then cancelled on the day. Told me it was rescheduled for the next weekend, I asked to reconfirm details. No further text. To my knowledge party didn’t happen. Very sad I think there’s safeguarding issues and I sent the gift in to school so her DC didn’t miss out as ultimately it’s the child who is upset (when they’re 5 not 1 though!).
other families are complicated. It’s you not them don’t give it too much thought.

No mum is going to hire a hall and bouncy castle and leave after a mere 20 minutes! Come on! Mum never even arrived. Her brother came down and opened up. Read the OP.

My OH walked to the shops with our son an hour ago and the family have the music blaring with the bouncy castle still up so I'm very very confused by it all! Less like a 1 year olds party and more of a family get together it seems?

I can't remember who asked but not in Scotland, in England and the family are African, not that it makes a blind bit of difference other than they might just be way more chilled then we are?

I'm not annoyed anymore, more baffled than anything. We are now laughing about it now. And no, I don't regret giving my daughter the present, I did take it with us, didn't know where to leave it and it seemed odd to give it to the brother who wouldn't have been able to tell his sister who the present was from as we left before they bothered to come back so we came home and I unwrapped it and gave it to her 🤷

The lady who ran the hall did mention they hired it for the whole afternoon, if anything I think we must have been too early!

Lol the baby is 1 year old! It isn't even aware of anything or it's own name, let alone the concept of a birthday.

FFS, people on here are beyond batshit crazy and lack all logic or reasoning.

Sorry you are getting a pasting OP.