To reject this invite from a new neighbour?

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Maybe I'm being a grump but I find it a bit confrontational. I'm confused as to what they mean too. They posted it through my door today, I haven't even seen them yet (they have moved in four doors up).

Hiya Neighbour

On 24th of March our building work will be over and we will be good to go. If you could drop round with housewarmers between 3pm and 7pm we would be happy to offer a glass of wine.

Kind Regards
X and X

Knock on the door and ask them what they would like you to bring in terms of food or drink?

well,where i am from pretty acceptable to get the neighbours round.wee bevvy,blether

and yes an invite to someone new home is a house warming,so not too great a leap to take a house warmer

'housewarmers'
i'm reading that as asking for gifts
cheeky feckers....
i'm liking their style

well hopefully DWP will report back

TDWP - Have you spoken with any of your other neighbours about it?

I can go look and tell you what's in the skip outside if you want? Perhaps that will provide some clues.

When i was in college i used to love going skip diving, we used to rummage for things we could used for projects [Art student emoticon]

It was alot of fun

lol TDWP!

aye have a wee foray.how extensive was the building work?

went to a friends after they had the new kitchen and extension.spent all night enviously admiring the products.never woukd havde though dishwasher and taps could be so much fun!

but yes do report back

Have giggled my way through this thread - love all the whispering behind hands of - "are they Australian? "They must be Australian...thats the way they speak", "no, they can't be..." etc etc...too funny!

I'm Australian...I think its a bit odd too! By that I mean strangely worded, not strange to invite neighbours 'round. I've never heard anyone here (Aus) say 'Hiya', but I did say it when in the UK (after dealing with how odd and child-like it sounds to my ears!) - so maybe it is some language-clumsy Aussies who are trying their best to get jiggy wit the local lingo?

Still, I would take it to mean some dips/nibbles. They can't mean drinks, because they are offering to supply drinks, and they can't mean gifts surely, because nobody would be that rude (not even Australians . I'd take some dip, or savoury pastry things or something...and maybe a bittle as a 'gift'...just in case.

I mean 'bottle'.

It's massive building work, our terrace is four storeys (you know the type with a basement level sunk from road level, but used as rooms, and they are for some reason digging out the entire front garden. I did notice an avocado bathroom suite in the skip the other day.

Definitely odd wording, it suggests the glass of wine in return for something but I am at a loss re: what?

I think they are being friendly in a wierd haven't-quite-got-a-grasp-on-how-to-word-an-invite-without-requiring-analysis-on-mn kind of way

Tdwp, def think you should go with your muffins, I would be desperate to have a good old nosey inside, and they sound interesting at the very least!

Oh and they've got rid of an avocado bathroom suite, that's got to count for something?

well reassuringly the avocado bath was in the skip.

out of interest before anyone here sends an invite do you analyse every possible nuance.
consider possible interpretations.
whether the recipient thinks

is it a request or a command

I read housewarmers as the other guests.
I would natch take a bottle of wine etc....

It does sound Aus-tra-yan...

Anyway however it was worded I would go. Take flowers/snacks/bottles as you think most acceptable.

SM, don't you think it was oddly worded? I don't analyse every nuance of invitations, but I do try and make them clear at least! This one isn't even clear, and it does rather sound like a summons than an invitation.

no i take it as a friendly invitation with BYOB.nowt else.not requiring syntax analysis or head scratching

just requiring TDWP to turn up with some bevvy and a card!

TDWP, You must report back to this thread after you go. I will watch it...am intrigued!

They are asking for gifts IMO....
But as it's two weeks away you could be really daring and go and knock on the door and say...
Hello neighbour, Thanks very much for the invite, that's very kind of you, now, can I just ask what you mean by a housewarmer?

why dont you just ask what "housewarmers" means?, or better still turn up enjoy the free drinkables and ask when there?, could be an icebreaker? (what do you say to people who invite you around to oggle their house?)

I think they're just trying to make friends with their neighbours (or apologise for the noisy building work).

Don't really see the problem.

When I first moved down south I was barely on nodding terms with my neighbours despite living in the same house for over 2 years which I found a bit sad. When I lived in Scotland my neighbours frequently popped round for a cuppa (or something stronger), we babysat each others kids, walked dogs, etc, etc.

ingles you beat me to it! >

hogmany and xmas invite my neighbours over for a wee drappie and a blether

a bevvy and chance to rubberneck gawp at the new pad.brill.might evn meet some nice new folk too

bet they wrote the invite.popped through the door and didn't expect it to be subject to rigorous MN discussion

They are NOT asking for gifts. They are asking you over for drinks and the opportunity to have a nosey at the improvements.

It's sloppy Aussie/kiwi language.