How to politely ask guests to leave: tips on how not to offend your loved ones

Whatever one may say, this year, due to martial law, January 1 is not a day off. This means you need to send your overstaying guests home on time so that both they and you can rest before work.

But how to do it without ruining each other's holiday? OBOZ.UA asked for advice from etiquette experts.

Ask guests how they will get home

The curfew imposes many restrictions on movement at night. Therefore, asking guests how they will get home will be a gentle hint that it's time to think about how not to violate it and get home on time. This approach will allow you to take care of your guests and avoid an uncomfortable situation. And even in more typical conditions.

Stop serving snacks and drinks

A party often comes to a standstill if you run out of snacks and drinks. So if you want your guests to leave, stop serving them. Over time, people will feel that the party is coming to an end and start to go home. Voluntarily.

Turn off the music

Another essential attribute of the holiday is music. Singing and dancing cheer up and create the right atmosphere. Therefore, even just turning down the volume can be enough to let your guests know that it's time to go home. What can we say about turning off the music completely?

Start tidying up

Cleaning is not a very festive activity. And it's a direct hint that the fun is over and it's time to get back to normal. There's no need to grab the vacuum cleaner and demand that everyone lift their feet while you mop the floor. Just start taking the dirty dishes to the sink or putting things back in their places. People will subconsciously understand what you want to tell them.

Gather everyone for a group photo

A selfie with the whole company is often perceived as the final chord of an event. Therefore, calling everyone to take a picture together can be effective if you want to hint to your guests that the fun is coming to an end. After the photo is taken, don't forget to thank everyone for coming - this will also be perceived as a signal to end the party.

Make it clear that you are tired

Non-verbal cues can save the day when it's late and the guests haven't left yet. Yawn once or twice, show other signs of fatigue, such as reduced concentration. People usually subtly pick up on such nuances and decide for themselves that it would be polite to give the hosts a break.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told which church holidays Ukrainians will celebrate in January according to the new calendar.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.