Invitation confusion .. Help !!

[smiles4u]

Hi all,

Mods if this is in the wrong area please feel free to move !!

I received an invitation in the mail from my male cousin and his wife for their DD (1st child) whom doesn't turn 1 until November this year so i'm confused about the what the invite is actually for ... i thought maybe it means for a Greek name day (my cousin is Australian and his wife is Greek) but i looked up online and their DD's Greek name day is in a totally different month to the actual get together on the invite date. Anyway to explain it better let me give you what is on the invitation, keep in mind it's just on plain white paper with no pattern or pictures to give an indication :

Ms C**** M***** E**** (their DD's full name)
Cordially invites
L******, A*** & C******* (my, DP & our DD's name's)
To the celebration of her name and to say thankyou
to all those who gave her gifts

Please join C**** and her parents for
lunch at the M******** C***

address ; ***********
On Wed *****
The lunch commencing at
12pm concluding at 3pm

RSVP ***********

(please do not bring gifts as all of you were
very generous when C**** was born)

Now to begin with they had there Wedding at this same expensive place and i'm wondering if they are expecting guests to pay for their meal ... and to sit down for 3hours for something that isn't a Wedding i don't get it ??

Also why pick a week day when these parents don't work a weekend and they could have made it easier for most people to attend on a weekend but then they did have their Wedding on a Thursday during the day they must think everyone can do it again (my DP lost a day's pay to attend that Wedding) ??

Anyway, we are not going either way ... we are over 3hrs drive away, DP can't day off work let alone lose pay and i don't wan't to sit with a bunch of boring strangers for a celebration i don't understand ... and who pays for the expensive lunch (that's not clear, can't ask my cousin as i'm not close & he is odd) ??

So apart from my trying to work out what we are actually celebrating ... is it a Greek name day & if so or if not what sort of gift DO you think i should send in the mail seeing i'm not going ?? (and i DO want to send a nice gift for their DD) ... Also does it mean i have to also send a birthday gift when their DD's birthday is in November ?? ... I don't mean to sound tight but i don't want to send two decent gifts !!

Can anyone PLEASE shed any light on this invitation as i'm honestly confused !!

TIA for any help

[Persephone1]

My first thought was that it was a Naming celebration, like a Christening but without the religious aspect. My DH and I have talked about doing something like this to celebrate Bub's arrival, thank everyone for their support and allow them to meet the Baby.

I don't think a gift is required. I can't tell whether they would want you to pay for the meal, DH and I would probably do our celebration as a picnic so we'd be a bit more informal. And as for the day of the week - that just confuses me.

[smiles4u]

thanks Phersephone1 for your input ... i don't get it either, i would never invited people to something in the middle of the week in the middle of the day and at a really expensive flashy place ... if it was something like you are thinking to do that's informal and on a weekend and that it was an opportunity to meet bub well i think that's a perfect idea

I want to send a gift purely to make up for not being there IYKWIM !!

I can email my RSVP ... so does anyone have any ideas as to what to say ?? Like do i need to explain Wednesday is a working day for most, i don't want to sound rude in anyway !! .. Should i say we have work commitments that day OR do you think it sounds like they expect people to take a day off work again like for their Wedding a couple of years ago ??

Also i'm wondering if their mention at the bottom of the invite in bringing no gift is an indication you will be paying for your expensive lunch for a family of our 3, which would be much more expensive than any gift.

My apologies that i sound like i'm whingy, i just wish sometimes people would think of what they are asking of people.

[Visitor7]

It sounds like a naming day celebration. I've known people to have birthday parties for their kids during the week, even though the parents work. It may have been that it was cheaper for them to have it during the week? I would assume by that invitation that guests are expected to pay for their own meal.

[smiles4u]

It may have been that it was cheaper for them to have it during the week? I would assume by that invitation that guests are expected to pay for their own meal.

hey i reckon too Jodi as i know from my Mum when she spoke with my cousins Dad couple of years ago that they had their Wedding at the same venue there on a weekday cause it was cheaper than a weekend ... but i don't get how they think whole entire families can make it on a weekday, i understand kids birthday parties during week days when SAHM or maybe WAHM's might be able to make it but i can't see how a whole family can ?? (thanks Jodi )

... i must be old fashion as i'm finding more parents have birthday celebrations for their children and expecting the guests to pay their own way which means to me we are paying for a party for their own kids that the parents chose not to do for their own child ... OMG i couldn't expect that of anyone but then that's me !!

**** ANOTHER QUESTION for you lovely helpful BB ladies - i want to post a gift with a card to make up for not being able to be there BUT what sort of card do i get ??? Maybe just a blank card with something cute or pretty on the front and mention in words i hope their DD has a wonderful day celebrating her name !! ... How does that sound to you all ?? ... I have a very pretty card with a 3D music-box with a ballerina twirling in it, Does that sound ok to send with a gift ?? ... Any ideas for a GIFT would be helpful too (nothing too heavy as i've gotta post it) !!! ... (TIA)

[smiles4u]

... just an update ; my cousin mentioned in the thread had visited my folks recently and my Mum informed me it wasn't a Name Day infact my Mum said they didn't make it clear at all what the day was celebrating ... my Mum said she is guessing from their response it was about people getting to met their DD whom haven't come to see or visit her since birth, and apparently they were disappointed that some people (such as myself) didn't make the very long drive on a week day at the expensive place for lunch