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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this is why I don’t host parties.

267 replies

giveitupm8 · 17/05/2026 21:29

Every year we have a few friends come over to watch Eurovision. Nothing fancy just snacks, drinks and a bit of fun.
Over the year several other friends and acquaintances have expressed an interest in coming along and a couple encouraged me to have a full blown party this year.
So we did. Invited 30 people via Facebook events. Bought and made loads of food, created a special cocktail for the evening. Hired extra glasses. We even decided to buy a soundbar for the tv. We had 25 people accept the invite.
One friend of a friend even messaged me to say ‘hey where’s my invite?! I love Eurovision’ so added her and her husband.

Just after Saturday lunch the excuses came rolling in.
5 people too hungover
3 people kids were sick
1 person said they couldn't come because her husband was going out (despite the fact that both were invited and accepted)

3 just tired
1 person with a dead cat (fair enough on that one)

Okay so these things happen but i was a bit annoyed at the tired and hungover ones given all the effort.

12 of us was still a good number so was looking forward to the night

3 people turned up. The friends who would come anyway. The 10 or so who should have been there? Not a sausage. No message to say can’t come. Nothing. The excited friend who demanded an invite? Nothing.

Im so sad and embarrassed. So angry at the wasted food and effort. Is this what people are like now? AIBU to never host a party again?

Adding: the invite went out 6 weeks ahead of the event. Spoke with most attendees at least once in the intervening time and we discussed the party. I messaged the whole group on Saturday morning to remind them and to advise on parking.

OP posts:
thekindoflovewemake · 17/05/2026 21:48

You have terrible friends. If any of our circle arranged a party 90% of the invited would turn up and the others would have genuine reasons/let the hosts know. Bad form!

giveitupm8 · 17/05/2026 21:48

About 3-5 people who didn’t turn up are close friends with one of the people who couldn’t come due to sick kids. I like them all they are masses of fun and I’ve been really keen to strengthen the friendship. We’ve been out together several times and even had a weekend away together about 6 months ago so not super long term close friends but enough I thought! One was the one who specifically messaged to ask for an invite for her and her husband. Wondering if they saw her message and decided not to come.

OP posts:
Notmenc · 17/05/2026 21:48

Smoosha · 17/05/2026 21:33

I don’t think it is. It’s the way of the world now.

It really isn’t how my world works! Basic manners and not being flaky is my normal world!

goodnightssleepbenice · 17/05/2026 21:49

So so rude , and being tired ( unless due to health issues) is just shit man up and power thru

Wreckinball · 17/05/2026 21:49

I’d’ve taken a photo of the food, bill for the glass hire etc and posted it to the group and put 3 of you out of the 20 I catered for who accepted the invite turned up.
dont pit anything else just the facts- flakey friends

Pinkchilli · 17/05/2026 21:51

That is so bad I’d be so upset and annoyed too at the waste. I do think people are so flaky these days & texting is the perfect cop out don’t have to face up to calling someone. People are also more selfish think that others will show so it’s not on them. I’d be inclined to never hold a party again too!

weareallqueens · 17/05/2026 21:53

I frequently cba with things I’ve previously agreed to, but if I’ve said I’ll go, I’ll go. Sick kids or dead cats, fine, but if I say I’ll go to something I’m going.

Rainbow1961 · 17/05/2026 21:54

I had a similar thing years ago when DH invited his kids plus their other halves for Boxing Day. I spent the morning cooking and preparing food - none of them turned up. Since then with his family - I never prepare anything - if they should turn up - I put frozen beige food in the oven and they can wait until it's ready!!

ConcussedPigeon · 17/05/2026 21:55

Had this with my wedding. Out of 80 confirmed RSVPs, 10 no shows. Supposedly close friends and family. I never spoke to them again.

giveitupm8 · 17/05/2026 21:57

No I haven’t called them out. I guess I’m questioning why people didn’t turn up and berating myself for thinking I was popular enough that people cared about coming.
They all live locally. I’ll see them all at various points over the coming weeks but I can see myself not mentioning it out of embarrassment.

OP posts:
JLou08 · 17/05/2026 21:58

I had half of my extended family do this NYE one year. The one who was pushing me to do it didn't turn up and that was one of the ones that really annoyed me.We had an amazing time with the ones who came but so much food was wasted! I put loads of effort (and money) into a nice spread and that was mainly for the ones who didn't turn up. Everyone who turned up was under 30 and would've been happy with frozen pizza and doritos and dips.

Hogwartsian · 17/05/2026 21:59

I think that is awful but it doesn't surprise me one bit. People are flakey, unreliable and selfish. I would definitely post a message in the group chat and make a point. Or, at the very least, if anyone ever mentions wanting to come again, make a point that you tried to invite everyone but they didn't turn up, so you won't ever be doing that again.

SnappyUmberLion · 17/05/2026 22:01

LadyFlumpalot · 17/05/2026 21:43

I remember back in the 2000’s going to my friends 18th birthday party. Her family had hired a hall, a DJ, a mobile bar… 5 people including me showed up. She’d invited the whole year group.

That’s really crappy for you OP. I’d remember who didn’t show up and didn’t communicate and reassess how committed you need to be to the friendships.

Yikes. What went wrong, was she just not popular?

Namingbaba · 17/05/2026 22:02

Thats terrible. It seems so many posts complaining about hosting an event are about no shows. People seem to think they’ll be the only ones not coming and that they won’t be missed.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/05/2026 22:02

That’s so annoying.
did you text to confirm /firm up numbers? I would have done this with a ‘just checking to firm up numbers for catering’ so they know you’re spending money feeding thek

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/05/2026 22:03

Namingbaba · 17/05/2026 22:02

Thats terrible. It seems so many posts complaining about hosting an event are about no shows. People seem to think they’ll be the only ones not coming and that they won’t be missed.

I agree.
But I guess if they thought it was a gathering to watch tv they maybe didn’t realise effort the hosts were going to

user1464279374 · 17/05/2026 22:03

I do think it’s got worse in recent years, maybe a post Covid thing as someone said. I now assume out of 100 invites half will accept, and probably only half again actually show up (often host events for work related things so more than just birthday/xmas). Very rarely is it more than that and always a string of the same excuses. I think people are just overwhelmed by the many forms of communication going on at once, and with WhatsApp/Facebook it’s easy to assume everyone else will be the ones to show so if you don’t it won’t matter.

thenightsky · 17/05/2026 22:03

LadyFlumpalot · 17/05/2026 21:43

I remember back in the 2000’s going to my friends 18th birthday party. Her family had hired a hall, a DJ, a mobile bar… 5 people including me showed up. She’d invited the whole year group.

That’s really crappy for you OP. I’d remember who didn’t show up and didn’t communicate and reassess how committed you need to be to the friendships.

OMG that's awful. Poor friend. Sad

Booboobagins · 17/05/2026 22:04

So sorry you went to the effort and expense of this for AHs to do this to you.

Sadly it's the way of the world now. Noone gives a F unless they've paid and can't get tgeur money back.

Glad you had a good time with those who came along.

Chalk it up - maybe persuade one of the AHs to host next year...

SqueakyFromme · 17/05/2026 22:04

What a bunch of assholes. Positives are - a soundbar is great and hope you had nice buffet leftovers today and lesson learned to not bother ever again 😡

Viviennemary · 17/05/2026 22:05

Thats really disappointing. Don't do it again.

Galaxylights · 17/05/2026 22:06

That is such poor behaviour.

Honestly, people do not give a shit how they treat other's these days. Everyone thinks their needs trump everyone else's.

I can't believe that 10 of them couldn't be arsed to even tell you they weren't coming.

Don't bother with them if they can't have the decency to be polite.

That happened to me on my 30th. I was lucky a few good friends still turned up but so many dropped out, some with a couple of hours to go when I preordered their food with the restaurant. Some people have zero shame.

I won't ever do it again. And these were people I would always show up for. They couldn't be arsed to show up for me on a date agreed months in advance. I know things can change but I know them and they just cba. One girl had been drinking night before, knew she was supposed to be coming and she was hungover.

LadyFlumpalot · 17/05/2026 22:07

SnappyUmberLion · 17/05/2026 22:01

Yikes. What went wrong, was she just not popular?

Not particularly, but then again she was more popular than me and my 18th was rammed! No idea what it was about.

giveitupm8 · 17/05/2026 22:10

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/05/2026 22:03

I agree.
But I guess if they thought it was a gathering to watch tv they maybe didn’t realise effort the hosts were going to

I have thought that… people thinking oh it’s just watching tv.. so didn’t give it much thought

OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 17/05/2026 22:13

Yanbu at all x

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