Polite ways of telling guests it’s time to leave

[Iwritethissittinginthekitchensink]

I want to get better at this - enjoying people’s company in my house eg for an afternoon or evening, but when enough is enough how to politely indicate it’s time to wrap things up and for them to go?

Just wondered if anyone has stock phrases you rely on!

Start clearing up - pick up all the empty cups, glasses etc and put them in the dishwasher. Takeaway all the snacks, chocolates, nibbles and put them away. If you take everyone's coat on arrival and put them in the bedroom, bring them all out and put them on the table. Put the main lights on and blow out the candles. If it's Christmas turn the tree lights off - do everything you can to make people realise their time is up! If people have come round to see DC, me telling them to put their toys away because it's bedtime usually gets people on the move too.

Should we have one more drink? About 20 mins before you want people to leave.

Thank you for comIng, it has been such a lovely evening

Nothing more is needed - most people start to make a move. For the very drunk I usually offer one for the road 🤤

That’s inviting people to stay, not leave.

If you genuinely want people to head off, offering them more isn’t the way to do it, because it risks them not picking up on the subtle ‘time to leave’ cues.

My Mum always says, "how long can you stay" !

I live in Yorkshire. I think 'would you like another cup of tea' doesn't quite translate.

Eh? That makes it sound like you're desperate for company!

If DH is there I would just say "Right! I'm starting to fall asleep now so I'm going to bed" and then they would take the hint and say "yeah, we'd best be going now ourselves". I don't often have anyone over where DH is not involved but I don't think I'd have any trouble just telling them I was off to tidy up etc. and they'd take the hint. If it was daytime, I'd say "right, sorry to have to chase you out but I have to go and pick up DS from football/town/wherever now/visit my mum's"

Start yawning?

For evenings I go with the simple but semi-direct "I'm afraid I'm absolutely knackered, I think I need to go to bed soon - you know me, can't keep my eyes open past 10!"

I've actually got it down with my friends now that it just takes me looking at the clock after 10 and they start readying themselves xD

Day time is a little harder but TBH in the day I either have plans in which case I explain the plans or I don't in which case I don't generally mind company so it doesn't usually come up. If I have jobs I have to do I might apologise and say "I'm really sorry, I've got , y and z that I simply must get sorted today so it'll have to be a quick one/I've only got til 3" when someone pops in.

I would never take “would you like another drink” as a cue to leave, quite the opposite. Hope I haven’t been missing cues all these years 🍷

Stand up, slap your thighs and say "welllllllll"

My uncle had to get up very early for work each morning and one time when guests outstayed their welcome he nipped upstairs and came down in his pyjamas. The guests took the hint.

Yes that's just bizarre!

Would you like a last drink maybe?

Me too. I'm now wondering if there were occasions when I was actually being given hints to leave!

Haha I use my dogs...🤣. They like to go to their bed, so I have a conversation with them when they sit and look at me, and say " Aaaw boys, are you telling me it's your bedtime? "
Works every time!

My BiL once said to me "When are you leaving?" just as we arrived on Christmas Day. Never been again, I like direct but that was a wee bit much...

I like some of the suggestions here!

I was at a friends house last night and when she offered me another drink I said yes! Should I have gone home? 👀

I find standing up and putting a hand on the door helps. Also bringing in guests’ coats with the words “it’s been lovely to see you, we must do it again soon” generally work.

Interesting! I always thought "would you like a cup of tea" was the universal sign for "please leave!"

Probably works best for dinner/evening rather than something that was an afternoon tea get-together in the first place I suppose...

Uncle gets the coats, gives them to the guests.
That's a bit of a clue then! Unambiguous you could say!

Stand up and say " Well, it's been a lovely evening. Thanks for coming."

Yes,that's both polite and effective

It sure that works if ts a late evening at your own home...

“When shall we call your taxi”