I actually thought twice before voicing any concerns for fear of planting the idea in someone's head, but then I thought, hey, I'm a (relatively) upstanding citizen and if my initial reaction was, "What vulnerabilities are open to exploitation here?" then the not-so-relatively upstanding citizen is probably already way ahead of me on this.

It's shite's state when an innocently offered invitation spawns immediate concerns among (some of) us about what could go wrong instead of engendering a festive spirit of comraderie which the occasion warrants. The same sort of second guessing goes on when one encounters a situation in which another person is in need of assistance: whether the situation is in fact what it seems to be or whether it is a ruse constructed to perpetuate some manner of harm. Is there someone waiting in the weeds to rob us when we stop to render aid to a stranded motorist? Is the hitchhiker only wanting to get on down the road or is he actually a serial killer leaving a trail of body parts in his wake? I admit I am a little more cautious these days than I normally would be were I not a father of three young children. Thoughts of their welfare if something were to happen to me cross my mind before I involve myself in an unknown or questionable situation.

I applaud the spirit in which the invitation was offered, and frankly, I am pleasantly surprised there still exists people willing to trust other people enough to even make such an offer. That 'unsuspecting' part of the child still within me was killed by opportunistic assassins a long time ago, and I am neither strong enough nor courageous enough to resurrect it. It is not with pride that I say if I were hosting such an event under these circumstances all the valuables would be locked safely away and everything else chained down, everyone would pass through a metal detector before entering, a few Dobermans and Rotweilers wandering unfettered would be conspicuous in their presence, as would an occasional glimpse of one of Winchester's or Browning's fine and formidable products. All to minimize the prospect of the unthinkable happening. I also wouldn't expect anybody to attend. Kind of kills the festive spirit of the thing.

The other alternative would be for me to invite only those people of whom I had personal and reliable knowledge.

Neil, still wishing all the best, still concerned.