My wife and I are about one month away from paying off our house (30 year note in 3 years!) and I am very excited. From my perspective, it seems like a great reason to celebrate. And I think every celebration is better with friends and neighbors. But if we reveal the reason for the revelry, I fear that it would be perceived as pretentious by potential party-goers.
So here's the question--should we just have the party and hide the reason? Or is there some particular way to throw the party that could acknowledge the occasion but not offend our friends? I'll admit to a disregard for social taboos and secrecy, so I'm hoping my fellow Mustachians can come up with a way to allow us to throw this party and to show what Muchachian living can accomplish.
One entertaining idea came from a conversation with a friend. He quipped that instead of guests bringing gifts (like at a housewarming party), the etiquette for a "houseowning party" should reverse--i.e., the host should give gifts to the guests. This led to our establishing the "mortgage rule", which states that in order for a houseowning party to be socially acceptable, the host had to spend one month's mortgage payment on the party. This seemed like a decent rule of thumb, because with nice wine in their bellies and gift cards in their pockets, the guests would feel reason to celebrate along with the hosts. Plus it highlights the generosity that financial freedom enables.
But is celebrating extravagantly a proper and fitting celebration for the accomplishments of frugal living? I'm torn, so I want to hear the thoughts of my fellow Mustachians. Is a houseowning party socially acceptable? Have any of you already thrown your own houseowning party? How did it turn out?