“As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party”

“As welcome/popular as a skunk at a lawn party/garden party/picnic” means not very welcome or popular at all. The saying has been cited in print since at least 1898, when the novel David Harum had “about as pop’lar in gen’ral ‘round here as a skunk in a hen-house.”
 
“As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party” is often claimed as a Texas saying or a Southern saying.
   
     
Idioms Glossary
as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
Definition: Not wanted or welcome.
Explanation: A skunk is never welcome anywhere. Some people are also not welcome, possibly because of something they have done or said.
     
Texas Slang Translation
As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
(self-explanatory)
 
Google Books
David Harum: a story of American life
By Edward Noyes Westcott
New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap
1898
Pg. 261:
“Him an’ me are on putty friendly terms, but the fact is,” said David, in a semi-confidential tone, “he’s about an even combine of pykery an’ viniger, an’ about as pop’lar in gen’ral ‘round here as a skunk in a hen-house;...”
 
6 December 1899, Springfield (MA) Republican, pg. 14:   
NO MYSTERY
[From Life.]
(...)
In fact, this war with the Boers seems to bring the British government somewhere in line with the man described by Daavid Harum, who was “about as popular as a skunk in a hen-house.”
   
Google Books
September 1906, Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine, “A Drink from the Hassayampa” by George Brydges Rodney, pg. 369:
“So one night, when me an’ the ole man was settin’ in his den, I says, ‘Look here, colonel, looks to me like I’m about as popular here as a skunk at a church social. What ‘s the matter?’”
 
Google Books
The Car and the Lady
By Percy F. Megargel and Grace Sartwell Mason
New York, NY: The Baker and Taylor Company
1908
Pg. 140:
“I’ll see you over the Divide myself — though I’m about as popular as a skunk at a picnic west of the hills!”
 
20 August 1910, San Jose (CA) Evening News, “San Jose Will Meet Watsonville Pippins” by Ernest Swift, pg. 7: 
Charlie Murphy stands as well with the American League moguls as a skunk at a lawn party.
     
29 May 1911, New Orleans (LA) Times-Picayune, pg. 8:
Gus Aaron says that his drummer is as popular as a skunk in a henhouse.
 
1 September 1913, Du;luth (MN) News-Tribune, “Short Sports,” pg. 3:
Bill is about as welcome as a skunk at a Sunday school picnic in the Quaker city.
 
5 February 1916, Logansport (IN) Chronicle, pg. 1, col. 3:
Since the water in the rivers started to do “stunts” and climb out of their banks, the Heating company is about as popular as a skunk at a lawn party.
 
Google Books
My Lorraine Journal
By Edith O’Shaughnessy
New York, NY: Harper & Brothers
1918
Pg. 90:
“We’re out to can the Kaiser, and he’ll take some canning yet, but I say next July he will be about as welcome as a skunk at a lawn-party.”
 
Google News Archive
6 February 1918, McGill Daily (Montreal), “Interesting Letter Reco, from Front,” pg. 1, col. 4:
,,,however, we eventually arrived at 5:15 p.m., only to find that our sector had moved out four hours earlier, and we were about as welcome as a skunk at a garden party.
 
Google Books
More Texas sayings than you can shake a stick at
By Anne Dingus
Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing
1996
Pg. ?:
As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party.
 
Goolge Books
Butter My Butt and Call Me a Biscuit:
And Other Country Sayings, Say-So’s, Hoots and Hollers
By Allan Zullo and Gene Cheek
Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Pub.
2009
Pg. 164:
Unwanted
He’s as welcome as a skunk at a church picnic.