My son is a senior this year and it is nearing time for prom! He could have gone last year but he decided not to ask anyone. He is pretty shy. With the expectations that are put on boys now, it is difficult for him to ask someone to prom.
The girls are expecting some big, innovative gesture! You are not supposed to ask them directly. It has to be a surprise. You should have someone deliver the invitation to them in some grand style and then you show up.
Last year, a few boys went through the whole process and the girls accepted and then a few weeks before prom they changed their minds.
One of the boys last year had a pizza delivered that had "Prom?" spelled out on it in pepperoni. He waited outside her house until after the pizza was delivered and then went to her door. She said yes. Then later she changed her mind.
Here are a few acceptable ways to invite a girl to prom:
- Laminate a note and freeze it into a large ice cube, and have someone deliver it.
- Use tea light candles to spell "Prom?" in the girls driveway, then text her and ask her to come out.
- Have a treasure map delivered to her and when she gets to the treasure spot you are standing there waiting to ask her to Prom.
- Deliver a puzzle to the girl, when she puts it together it says, "Will you go to Prom with me" followed by your name.
- Get friends to hold up signs for you asking her to prom, one word on each sign.
- Cut out black shoe prints and make a path to somewhere she will be going and put a Hershey kiss on each footprint. At the end place a sign that says, "I have kissed the ground you walk on, now will you go to Prom with me?"
- Get to her house before she comes home and put huge letters on her garage door spelling out "Prom?"
Now I hope you understand what pressure that puts on boys. It is more like a marriage proposal than a prom date.
Well, all stress aside, my son decided to ask a girl to Prom this year! He decided to ask the German exchange student. He doesn't know her very well, so he was a little apprehensive about asking. He told me she doesn't speak English very well. I said, "Well, she's perfect then! You don't have to carry on a conversation with her." He laughed and said, "Yeah, that's right!"
He was thinking about writing something up in German. He thought about using Google translate, but he was worried that he would put something down wrong and say something offensive. He doesn't have any German speaking friends so he decided not to use that idea.
When it came down to it, he decided to make a small poster with the invitation on it, and take her a single red rose.
She circled YES! He has a prom date. Now we have to worry about a tux and flowers, and where he will take her for dinner. Do we need to rent a fancy car? He has a lot to get done in three short weeks. It's been 18 years since my last son went to Prom, so I am looking forward to this, maybe more than he is.
They do a red carpet walk up to Prom, They drive up to the long sidewalk and dad's valet park their cars. Then the principal announces them. There is a crowd gathered on both sides of the sidewalk taking pictures and yelling their names as they walk up to the entry to the school. I have gone out the last few years, as do lots of townspeople, to watch them come in dressed in their formal attire.
I think I can get my husband to go this year!!
Wow, I can't believer boys have to go through that now! It's ridiculous! Esp. if the (bitch) girls can change their minds! Glad he has found a nice girl who's less likely to pull that shit on him!
ReplyDeleteYes, I has come to the point that you just have to keep outdoing everyone else. The girls say "don't bother to ask unless you are going to do it big". I wonder what they will expect for marriage proposals? I was appalled last year when I heard that girls were changing their minds. I always thought when you agreed to go with someone to prom, you got even if something better comes along. I guess not anymore!
DeleteSome have been watching too many Bachelor shows. I can't believe they go through all of that for a prom date. So glad I am all past that.
ReplyDeleteYou have a very handsome son....so glad that his date said yes!! :o)
Take care,
Frances
Notions from Nonny
Yes, maybe the Bachelor has become real life. Thanks, he is a great son! He is probably just a little too sensitive, that's probably why he hasn't dated much. The drama is just too much for him. This will be my last prom!!
DeleteHow fun and exciting; love how they come up with such creative ideas-it used to be so much simpler...ha!
ReplyDeleteHope your som and his date have a blast-great looking young man! :)
Blessings,
Denise
Thanks Denise, I think he will probably have a great time. He is such a wonderful son. He loves his mommy! The ideas are very creative, just a lot of pressure for the boys.
DeleteEven as the mother of 3 daughters I don't like this new tradition and hope it fades away. I do love the way the school hosts the red carpet entrance though. That sounds like fun - especially with parents involved. Your son is very handsome and I think he chose wisely. His invitation was cute and classy. I'm sure he'll have a great time!
ReplyDeleteFrances mentioned it reminded her of the Bachelor, I think she is right on this. I think they see these extravagant things on shows like that and begin to expect those things. Our little town is a very involved community, it is fun to go out and watch the kids walk it. I have gone the last few years even though I had no one participating. There is a very large crowd. I will probably do a post on it this year. It is fun.
DeleteLordy. I don't know about prom, but my 14 year old has said that he'd rather go to a White Sox game than have a graduation party. I predict that he won't change his mind.
ReplyDeleteI think if my son thought he could go to a major league baseball game instead he might have chosen that over the prom too!
Deletenon of my 3 sons went to the prom! And one of them was the Quarterback of the varsity football team at the time. They just didn't have the interest, nor the money! I was a single-mom at the time. Of course this was in the mid 90's to 2002. Things do change. I hope he has a great time. Sounds like a good match for him!
ReplyDeleteOh, the cost of prom is outrageous! Tuxes begin at $100.00, I have no idea what the upper limit is. They usually go for a very expensive dinner. They have to buy flowers for the girls. Some of the kids rent limos to take then to dinner and to the prom. The day after prom they go to King's Island. It isn't any cheaper for the girls. I can't begin to imagine what it cost for the girls dresses. When my daughter went 22 years ago the cost of the dress was crazy.
DeleteWow that's a lot of pressure just asking a girl for prom! I'm glad he got a date and the invitation is very funny and creative!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I think he wanted to make the invitation as simple as possible since she isn't very good with English. He said, she smiled, circled yes and said "thank you".
DeleteWhat he did was very sweet but I don't like that the boys have this pressure on them. I don't think it's fair. I do hope they have a good time, though. I only just heard about all this elaborate asking the other day, actually; a friend whose daughter is in high school said a boy came to their house with a bunch of balloons and asked her daughter to pop them. Each balloon had a slip of paper with a letter inside, to spell out "PROM?" She did say yes.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your friends daughter has a date. I really just think it is very hard for boys who are more reserved to make such a grand gesture. It is probably easy enough for some who are outgoing. What upset me was the number of girls who accepted last year and a few weeks later changed their minds. That was really sad!
DeleteI knew about creative prom invitations, but I hadn't heard about the red carpet walk. What a cute idea!
ReplyDeleteHope your son and his date have a great time at prom!
Yes the red carpet is really fun! It makes it a little more special and memorable for them. I think the evening should be something they can remember for years to come. It is a ritual of high school. I know some people have no interest and that is fine too.
DeleteWith two boys I don't even want to think about when they will be asking girls to prom :) I hope your son has a great time at prom!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm sure it will probably be different by the time they go. It might be even more extravagant! I'm glad this will be my last. Then it will just be grandsons!
DeleteMy 12 year old had a boy send her a note for the activity after school, I told her to be nice. She was standing and talking to the boy and when his friends started coming in their direction, he told her to say she was his girlfriend. She was hot when she got home, poor thing!
ReplyDeleteYes, it sounds like he wanted to be a big shot with the other guys, and that definitely happens with some boys. Sounds like she probably knows how to handle that.
Deleteoh goodness... that is a lot of work to ask for a prom date!! it was nothing like that when I was in school! I think your son's gesture is very sweet and I hope he has a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nichole, I am just glad she said yes! Going to that trouble and then getting a no would be really embarrassing.
DeleteSo sweet! I like the pizza idea... but your son's is even sweeter. Love the "circle yes or no," just like little kids used to do asking for a friend. Congrats to him on securing a date.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa, I thought it was like a little kids note. I think he tried to make it very simple since she speaks very little English. I like his idea to put it in German, but I understand that if it wasn't just right it could have offended her.
DeleteThis list is crazy. Lol gone are the days when things are less complicated. Good luck to Adam. He seems like a really nice guy. Hope there will be no changing of minds there. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'm thinking. Thanks. She only has a couple of weeks and once he rents the tux she better not change her mind!
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