Invited the wrong person--what would you do?

[pumpkinpi]

This weekend is Rooster's 5th birthday party. I set an RSVP date of today on the invitation, and I haven't heard from 4 of them, so I made reminder cards to put in the kids' mail boxes in their preschool classroom.

In the rush and distraction of dropping Rooster off this morning, I guess one must have made it into the wrong box because I got an email from Magnus' mother saying he is excited to come! We didn't invite Magnus....the reminders were supposed to go in Lincoln's and Elsa's mailboxes.

I'm not sure what to do. Nominally, I would just run with it, and welcome another of Rose's friends. The weird part is that the envelopes had the children's' names written on them, so Magnus' mother missed that. So do I respond pre-preemptively, saying Magnus wasn't invited but we're happy to have him come? Or wait to see if she even notices the invitation wasn't for Magnus and contacts me?

Whether he comes or not is no big deal. My main concern is that it might embarrass her!

[Thumper]

The easiest thing I can think of involves the possibility of white lie. Welcome Magnus and hope everyone at the party has a great time. If Magnus's parents notice eventually that the invitation wasn't addressed to him, laugh it off and apologize that in your haste in getting the invites/reminders out, you put some of them in the wrong mailboxes. Make it seem like he was invited all along and you just got the invites switched around.

If a potential fib isn't a possibility for you and you have to be completely honest, I'm not sure whether to wait to see if they notice or mention it preemptively is better. I'm really not.

[vendic]

^
| *like*

or you could tell them there will be a Satan worship ceremony an hour before hand and she's welcome to attend that too. There will be a sacrificial kid killed at the altar at 5pm sharp!...goat type of course.

[Rommie]

If it's not an only have so many kids type situation, I say just if she notices say "oops, I mixed up the names on the invites when putting them into the mailboxes!"

Hope Rooster is on good enough terms. If not, guess she's old enough to learn how to be a nice hostess even to random plus ones.

[code monkey]

I agree with thumper. you cannot tell Magnus's parents that he wasn't on the list but will be welcome. no matter how nicely you phrase it, and I know that you would phrase it very nicely, that still contains the message that he wasn't on the list. you must pretend that you intended to invite him all along. before the party, make certain that he and rose do not have any issues between them. if there are, you must address them. perhaps enlisting Magnus's mother's (or father's) help. if the name on the envelope is mentioned you can go into run-off-her-feet astronomer mode and reassure whomever mentions it.

now either Lincoln or elsa did not get the reminder. time for follow-up emails or telephone calls. no need to mention the mix-up. simply ask if the child will be at the party.

[pumpkinpi]

Well, duh! I should have thought of the mixed-up invitation story!

I was able to determine that it was Lincoln's invitation that got mixed up, so I can make sure he gets a reminder. And Rooster is fine with Magnus attending, so all will be good in the 5 year old world!

Thanks for the responses.

[squ1d]

That Magnus guy, what a card.

[Thumper]

Better late than never.