Not a party person - anybody else?

[AppleTree]

I hate parties, weddings, baby showers. I much prefer to go out with a small group of people. I hate large groups.

Also agree with this sentiment! I loathe being invited to an event where the main objective is to stand around with a drink in your hand and try to make conversation with strangers. I can be outgoing and friendly, I sometimes work in positions where this is required. A friend of mine came up with the term "closet introvert", and I thought it was unique, but you can google that term and get a lot of links to blogs on that subject, ha. I enjoy the small groups I'm involved in, quilting and bicycling volunteer groups...but big events...dreadful. I can do it, but it depletes me.

[ny biker]

Re: weddings and showers, it all depends on who is getting married or having a kid. I'm looking forward to my cousin's wedding in a few weeks, because I like spending time with my family. I was happy to receive a save the date card for another cousin's wedding, because they're one of the relatives I don't get to see very often and I'm looking forward to catching up with their immediate family.

Large events are usually fine if there will be a few people there that I know and like. I have never liked parties where I only know one person -- I find it very hard to get conversations going with people in that situation.

When I was younger, I looked forward to parties as a way to possibly meet a nice guy who I might want to date and would be interested in dating me. That never happened. I met some nice people, some of them men, but nothing ever developed with them. Eventually I gave up.

[shootingstar]

Just my immediate family with their spouses and children = 20 people. So what is "big" can be "small" or normal to someone else. I enjoy dinner-party together. Sadly, we won't be able to do it.. So a family party I've always enjoyed and treasured. But then, we have family members that don't detest one another.

Last time I went to a wedding shower or baby shower was well over 25 yrs. ago. I've moved twice and lived in 3 different Canadian provinces. Those who I care for and would go (despite, I agree, cutesy annoying games at the event), are spread out all over Canada. It ends up being the wedding itself or seeing the baby long (months or years), after birth.

I've never been invited/invited myself to a wedding/baby shower for work colleagues at work (because that's the event site where they have been)....95% of them, I don't know them much at all. I've worked for over 9 different employers in past 30 years. So I reached a point a long time ago, being selective who I want to socialize, even if superficially. Once I leave the employer, in most cases, those acquaintances are no longer part of my radar. It's just the way it is...

As for cycling acquaintances, it helps to know a few faces. Deepest friendships I have ..are those who know me well enough, outside of cycling activities/events.

The right parties are great for creating positive vibes or wishing a loved one well.

[azfiddle]

Fortunately, most of the parties I get invited to are music parties where we sit around and play music. In fact, for a long time, ALL the parties I went to were music parties and I felt very strange going to parties that were just "sit around and talk" parties.

I enjoy having dinner with a small group but not parties with a lot of people I don't know.