Would you go to a party without the guest of honor?

[arminnie]

The only thing I would send would be my RSVP declining to attend. I wouldn't even bother with a card.

These people take tacky and greedy to new extremes. I wonder if they will have a concession stand and charge the guests $4.50 for a glass of coke and $3 for a slice of cake.

Of course you could find the TACKIEST thing in your garage/give away stack and wrap it up and leave it there (preferably w/o a card).

If you feel like you MUST give the girl something, why don't you ask her mother when she WILL be at home as you'd like to drop it off when she's there.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Nope, I wouldn't go, and I wouldn't send a gift either. The baby shower without the mom-to-be if she's in the hospital, I can understand that, and I would go with gift in hand. Graduation party with no graduate because of track? Nope!

Steph

 

[Pembo]

I can top this! I knew a guy who found out a few weeks before graduation that he wasn't going to graduate. He had to go to summer school. His mom held his grad party, as scheduled. Which meant it was BEFORE he graduated. Very odd......

 

[NMAmy]

Whoa--relieved to know that I am not lumped in with this family anymore! I do agree that this is an awful way to have an open house--why even bother? I wouldn't send a gift either.

Now, I must admit that I was a mother-to-be who was NOT at her own baby shower. I had recently moved across country and my family had a "wrapping" baby shower for me. No one but family was invited (sisters, cousins, aunts, grandmothers, and my mom)--they brought their unwrapped gifts and my mom provided wrapping paper. They videotaped the whole thing, then shipped me the gifts and the videotape the next day. It was really a wonderful thing and so touching to me when I was living in a new community with no family and only a few new friends around.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by NMAmy
Now, I must admit that I was a mother-to-be who was NOT at her own baby shower. I had recently moved across country and my family had a "wrapping" baby shower for me. No one but family was invited (sisters, cousins, aunts, grandmothers, and my mom)--they brought their unwrapped gifts and my mom provided wrapping paper. They videotaped the whole thing, then shipped me the gifts and the videotape the next day. It was really a wonderful thing and so touching to me when I was living in a new community with no family and only a few new friends around.

Now THAT is a cute idea!

Having a GRADUATION party without the graduate makes no sense at all. Not only is it TACKY, it is just plain unimaginable! Around here, the grad parties are mostly for the friends to stop by and congratulate each other, as well as celebrating with family. Why on earth would there be any reason to "celelbrate" an absent graduate? I wouldn't go, and I wouldn't gift.

 

[minniecarousel]

Nope - I wouldn't go. But then, I probably wouldn't go to a Graduation party for a co-worker's graduating HS Senior anyway, even if the kid was there! To me, those kinds of parties are for family and close friends - not Mom & Dad's co-workers.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I absolutley LOVE the "wrapping" party for an out of town person! What a great idea!

 

[KristaTX]

Why is it called an "open house" anyway? I thought that was just when a house for sale was open to be viewed. I've never heard of someone's graduation/birthday/anniversary party being called an "open house".

And oh, yeah. NO WAY would I go if the person wasn't even going to be there. Bizarre to say the least.

 

[TerriP]

Originally posted by skporter
Why is it called an "open house" anyway? I thought that was just when a house for sale was open to be viewed. I've never heard of someone's graduation/birthday/anniversary party being called an "open house".

skporter, that is what graduation parties are called here. I don't know if it's just a Michigan thing, or a Mid-West thing, but graduataion parties are called an "Open House". Maybe it's because the party is traditionally had at the graduates home???? Not sure.....

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by skporter
Why is it called an "open house" anyway? I thought that was just when a house for sale was open to be viewed. I've never heard of someone's graduation/birthday/anniversary party being called an "open house".

Took me a while to figure this out too (I also think "house for sale" when I hear 'open house')

but generally people have an 'open house' from, say, noon to 6...you're not require to come for the whole time - just stop by whenever.

I think this happens when hosts invite ALOT of people that they can't accomodate all at once in their home/yard.

 

[Az Pirates]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
Took me a while to figure this out too (I also think "house for sale" when I hear 'open house')

but generally people have an 'open house' from, say, noon to 6...you're not require to come for the whole time - just stop by whenever.

I think this happens when hosts invite ALOT of people that they can't accomodate all at once in their home/yard.

In this case I figure it's so they won't have to entertain the guests too long.
Just come by anytime and drop off your gift for the graduate who is too busy to be there.

 

[KristaTX]

Originally posted by TerriP
skporter, that is what graduation parties are called here. I don't know if it's just a Michigan thing, or a Mid-West thing, but graduataion parties are called an "Open House". Maybe it's because the party is traditionally had at the graduates home???? Not sure.....

Thanks for the explanation. I'm always learning new things here on the DIS . I love learning about other parts of the country and how our word usages sometimes differ. Here it's just a "graduation party".

Krista

 

[alabamaalan]

Actually, I don't remember anyone having graduation parties when I was in school.

Everyone just went to the beach following graduation and stayed a week.

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
Took me a while to figure this out too (I also think "house for sale" when I hear 'open house')

but generally people have an 'open house' from, say, noon to 6...you're not require to come for the whole time - just stop by whenever.

I think this happens when hosts invite ALOT of people that they can't accomodate all at once in their home/yard.

Yes, I guess that's it, but they have always been called "Drop In's" here in the south....meaning drop in whenever you can within the scheduled hours....folks have them a lot for large parties at the holidays when they can't accomodate everyone at once.

As for the original question:
TACKY! TACKY! TACKY!!

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
Took me a while to figure this out too (I also think "house for sale" when I hear 'open house')

but generally people have an 'open house' from, say, noon to 6...you're not require to come for the whole time - just stop by whenever.

I think this happens when hosts invite ALOT of people that they can't accomodate all at once in their home/yard.

Yes, I guess that's it, but they have always been called "Drop In's" here in the south....meaning drop in whenever you can within the scheduled hours....folks have them a lot for large parties at the holidays when they can't accomodate everyone at once.

As for the original question:
TACKY! TACKY! TACKY!!
I'd skip the party and the present, too! If the graduate is someone you're close to, then I'd still *maybe* send a card.

But if it's just a co-worker's daughter (not a friend's daughter or friend of the family or whatever), I probably wouldn't. I think these parties have gotten bigger and bigger just for the sake of getting more gifts and money and that's really tacky, too. I don't think we'd invite people we wouldn't have at every other function for that person (birthday party, dance recital, big games, whatever). Am I just being naive and everyone invites tons of people no matter how close they are (or aren't)?

 

[dianeschlicht]

They are "open houses" here too. It means "drop in between these hours".

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Sounds good to me... Hey y'all I'm having a birthday party for myself and alllll of the Dis invited. Come on over. I won't be there, so you can just leave your gift at the bottom of my driveway. Thank you for coming...

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by hrh_disney_queen


Sounds good to me... Hey y'all I'm having a birthday party for myself and alllll of the Dis invited. Come on over. I won't be there, so you can just leave your gift at the bottom of my driveway. Thank you for coming...

hahaha

lay some bubblewrap down...so those that just want to do a 'drive by' and toss the gift out the window...it won't break.

now THAT'S thinking ahead!

 

[kild]

Originally posted by alabamaalan
Actually, I don't remember anyone having graduation parties when I was in school.

Everyone just went to the beach following graduation and stayed a week.

That's what I did.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

This looks like someone is holding an open house to get gifts...

Yep!! Tacky tacky tacky!!! No, I wouldn't go, and they should change the date of the party.