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You're hosting a dinner party that your friends and family love so much they don't want to leave, but it's getting late and you need to be up early the next morning. First of all, congrats on your expert party-planning skills — but in terms of what to do, we've got a couple of possible solutions.
Thomas P. Farley, a.k.a. Mister Manners, is here to explain the proper etiquette for this situation.
RELATED: How to Politely Decline Food During The Holidays (or Any Dinner Party) Without Insulting The Host
When it starts getting late and your guests don't seem to have anywhere else they'd rather be, it can be tough to know how to get them out the door without coming across as rude.
"It starts first and foremost with that invitation that you extend," Thomas says. "We're all very good about letting people know what time the party starts, but often we'll put ??? as the ending time."
Like Thomas says, how can you expect your guests to know what time they should be leaving unless you put it out there?
"So put that on the invite — that's number one," he says.
RELATED: Does "Don't Bring Anything" Really Mean Don’t Bring Anything?
Even if your gathering is more casual and you're sending out the information online, over email or text, or even on the phone, Thomas says it's fine to state an end time.
You don't need to get into a lengthy explanation, either. It's appropriate to say something like, "I'm thinking of having people over from 6-10," and leaving it at that, according to the expert.
RELATED: 5 Dinner Party Dos + Don'ts
Another tip Thomas has is to make goody bags or wrap up extra food for people to take home. As you're cleaning up, ask your guests: "What can I give you on your way out?"
This is one way to give your guests a gentle nudge that it's time to go. (And it involves free food, so how mad can they be, right?!)
And if your guests absolutely won't leave, there's always the sofa! Speaking of which, Thomas also addressed what to do if someone is staying at your home, but you don't have a guest room. Hear his advice in the video above.