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Original poster

Having people round 'for drinks" - how do you get them to leave?

33 replies

Hassled · 17/05/2012 21:20

And also - do you still even call it "coming round for drinks" anymore? Is that some 70s throwback I've dragged up from Abigail's Party?

Basically what I want to happen is for a group of 20+ people to come and have drinks and snacks and then leave after a couple of hours. Will have to be evening - how do I phrase all this? I've done "parties", I've done "coming round for a meal" - I've never done something in between. Can anyone rescue me?

OP posts:
ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 17/05/2012 21:24

Would you like to borrow DS? He's guaranteed to wake up every two hours & if you put the baby monitor on full volume he'd easily clear a room Grin

bamboobutton · 17/05/2012 21:25

ring a bell and call time?

MayaAngelCool · 17/05/2012 21:26

I'm curious as to why you don't want them to hang around for long...are there people in the group who you're not that keen on? Or perhaps you're pushed for time?

MyNameIsntFUCKINGWarren · 17/05/2012 21:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumblechum1 · 17/05/2012 21:26

WE do this at Christmas sometimes. The invite says "please join us for drinks on Christmas eve between 3pm and 5pm.

Problem is there's always at least one family who end up staying till 11pm!

Chubfuddler · 17/05/2012 21:27

Is this pre dinner drinks? Or after?

scentednappyhag · 17/05/2012 21:28

Flash your knickers, spill a drink in someone's lap, and tell DH loudly that you want to go to centreparcs this evening Grin
Oh wait, I've stumbled into Etiquette... Ignore me!

KatieMiddleton · 17/05/2012 21:28

Put your housecoat on and start clearing away? Then if that fails just turn out the lights and go to bed?

notcitrus · 17/05/2012 21:28

'please come over for drinks and snacks from 5-7pm'?
Makes it clear they will then need to shove off and have a bit more supper after.

IME people aren't fussed about exactly what they get invited for as long as they have the info to plan accordingly.

Original poster
Hassled · 17/05/2012 21:29

They're sort of colleagues and I'm sort of the boss (a voluntary thing and sorry, I'm being deliberately vague). Some I know well and like a lot, some I know well and actively dislike, some I don't really know.
Anyway, I'm leaving and I want/have to do a "goodbye and thanks" thing. But I just don't want hours of it :o.

I could get the DCs to start a small fire somewhere maybe?

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 17/05/2012 21:30

If you want to be extra wanky you could send them At Home cards and put "carriages at x".

MayaAngelCool · 17/05/2012 21:31

Well in that case I think scented's suggestion is just about perfect.

Grin
Original poster
Hassled · 17/05/2012 21:31

It hadn't actually occurred to me to be time-specific on the invite Blush.

So - timings. If you had small kids and got this sort of invite (kids not invited - house couldn't fit that many), what time would you like it to be?

OP posts:
MayaAngelCool · 17/05/2012 21:32

Chub: When I was younger I always used to think that meant 'carriages will be sent to collect you at x'. Took me ages to realise that it actually means 'piss off into your own carriages at x and get out of my hair'.

turnigitonitshead · 17/05/2012 21:32

why not just go to the pub for a couple of hours then you can leave.

Chubfuddler · 17/05/2012 21:33

What day of the week? Weekend 5 - 7pm.

mumblechum1 · 17/05/2012 21:33

Yes, pub would solve all your problems!

Chubfuddler · 17/05/2012 21:34

I worked in rymans as a teenager and thought At Home cards the pinnacle of sophistication.

Downandoutnumbered · 17/05/2012 21:34

Yes, I was going to say, don't do this in your house, because people won't leave when you want them to. Book a local cafe / room in pub and organise drinks and snacks. Then you can leave when you want to without making people feel they're being thrown out.

Original poster
Hassled · 17/05/2012 21:37

The pub would solve all my problems, wouldn't it? But is it a bit "can't be arsed"? I do genuinely want to thank some of these people. Some of them can rot in hell, though.

OP posts:
GreenMarrow · 17/05/2012 21:37

Plant someone to leave at the designated hour and them loudly say 'oh is it that time already, are you all off now, thanks everso for coming..'

I really know where you are coming from OP, I think a couple of hours drinks is ideal but it's very hard to get people to leave when you want them to even if you do put a time on the invite!

emsyj · 17/05/2012 21:38

Lots of trendy bars will do exclusive use during the week for a minimum bar spend. This is the way forward! Also, if it's a school night you will get fewer people hanging around til the bitter end. And you can leave whenever you like.

emsyj · 17/05/2012 21:39

No, it's more flash than drinks at home if you get a nice venue. Doesn't have to be 'meet me in the pub with all the old soaks and I'll buy you a pint' - you can make it all lahvely and everything, and it needn't cost much at all.

mumblechum1 · 17/05/2012 21:39

I don't think it would be considered "cba" - it might be easier for them to meet at a central pub rather than go out to your house, and in terms of thanking them, you could put on a free supper/put cash behind the bar for drinks or whatever.

Actually thinking about it, last time dh moved locations but in the same company, he invited everyone to the social club and paid for snacks & drinks and it went down well.

MarthasHarbour · 17/05/2012 21:42

Nooo not 'cant be arsed' at all, if you want to you could buy the first round of drinks or put a couple of bottles of wine on the table and ask the pub to put on some snacks, then you can leave when you want to. sorted

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