How to invite your neighbors to your party

Step 3 Distribute your invitations

Try to distribute your invitations the week of your party, with two or three days to spare. Too early seems desperate and you don't want to have to field too many questions about the party beforehand if you run into your neighbors in the hall or street.

If you know the names of your neighbors, write it on the envelope. If you don't, write "Neighbor" and the apartment number. You don't want any confusion about who should be getting the invitation.

Don't worry, you don't have to hand these to a live human. You can play Santa and distribute them without anyone ever seeing you. Though I do strongly suggest that you are dressed normally when you do distribute them so that, in case you are caught in the act by a neighbor on her way out, you aren't in your untied bathrobe and Homer Simpson slippers. That's just awkward. (I actually locked myself out while doing this, so again, it was fortunate that I was fully dressed.)

If you have access to your neighbors' mailboxes, just drop them in the appropriate boxes. If not and you you have access to your neighbor's apartment door, slip it under that door or prop it up on the door. If you only have access to their outer door, then slip it in the mail slot or under the door. It's best not to leave them all in one central location; when seen in bulk, your invitation looks less special.