CountryGirl,
Oh your birthday is at a tough time of year...I am not trying to make excuses for those that didn't come. But maybe next year more can make it if you have a different time? Again, I am not trying to make excuses! One of my best friends when I was a teenager had a bday on July 5th. Everyone was either travelling or too hung over to go to her bday party, so she decided to do it a week or two before or after her bday. I don't know if that would be possible for you, but just a suggestion.
For my son, we usually have just a family thing on his actually bday, but usually have a celebration for his friends about 2 weeks after his bday. We do this because we have noticed that a lot of his friends usually have things going on that time of year. (it is at the end of January, kind of wierd, but that has been the trend!)
My two stepdaughters both invited about 10 kids total to their bday partys. The older one was at a little kids place, kind of like a chucke cheeses. The only kids that showed up were the three girls that we invited that lived next door...which we drove there with us.
When it was time for my next stepdaughters bday party, again we invited 10 kids..it was at our house, and only the neighbor kids showed up. I was more upset than they were. I know this is exactly the same, of course, but man, that really made me upset.
Happy belated bday to you! And just because you don't have all your friends show up doesn't mean you are not loved.