Sam was grateful for the invitations to go out after work with his co-workers and to visit his in-laws, but he was in doubt about whether he should go to with this holidays season--there has been too many this year!
Sam had heard how drunk his co-workers could get and he didn't want his wife to be angry with him again after their last visit to his in-laws. He was looking for a way out to decline both invitations, but he didn't want to disappoint anyone. Finally, he came up with an idea.
He told his co-workers that he had already made plans to visit his in-laws that night and they were surprised because they knew how much he disliked spending time with them. Then, he told his wife that he had been invited out after work, but that he didn't want to leave her alone all night so he was going to stay home. She was happy to hear this and said she would make dinner for him.
Sam was plenty burnt out with party invites. He had previously accepted five the month before. One day when Sam got home from work, he found a note from his wife telling him that she had gone out with her friends and would be home late. He was relieved and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to watch TV without her nagging him to change the channel.
You might be like Sam or you know someone who is simply tired of having to go to parties no matter how important they are. Here's what you can do the next time you are suddenly surprised by yet another holiday party invite.
If you find yourself constantly declining invitations to holiday parties, there are a few things you can do to make the process a bit easier on your colleagues (and yourself). First, try to be as specific as possible when declining an invitation. rather than saying "I'm sorry, I can't make it," try something like "I'm sorry, but I have a prior engagement that night." This will help your colleague understand that you're not just blowing them off.
If you know that you're going to have to decline an invitation well in advance, call, text, send a brief email and/or message letting the person know. This way, they won't be waiting around for an answer that never comes. Finally, if you find yourself in a situation where you absolutely cannot attend a party, try to send a gift or card in your place, even if you can't be there in person, it's still important to show your support for your family or colleagues.
Nicholl McGuire is the manager and contributor of this blog and also the author of Should I Go to the Party? and Tell Me Mother You're Sorry. Get your copies today! These great reads will surely help your or someone you love!
No comments:
Post a Comment