It’s true that you love your friends and family, but sometimes, you would just prefer to have time to yourself. If you miss a party, it’s not the end of the world.
However, it can cause negative feelings or anger for the person who is hosting the party, especially if you don’t have a good excuse for missing the party.
If you’re going to miss a party for which you already accepted an invitation, and you change your mind at the last minute, then this article is for you. If you can’t come up with any good excuses to miss the party, then you can read on because this article is definitely for you.
Here are 15 good excuses to miss a party in four different scenarios.
3 good excuses to miss a party at Christmas time
Christmas parties are generally fun, whether it’s an office party or one with friends. There’s a lot of booze to go around, along with good wishes, food and good vibes.
However, you may just not be feeling up to it this year. If you need a way out, you can use any of these good excuses to miss a party at Christmas time.
01Picking up relatives from the airport
“Hey, it turns out my brother can’t pick my in-laws up from the airport, so I’ll have to go in his place to get them. I’m sorry that I have to miss the party tonight.”
It is common for people to fly from across the country or from around the world to be with their family members at Christmas time. This is one holiday that has airports packed and thick with traffic.
This is among the good excuses to miss a party because it is logical. You’ll want to be sure that this can’t blow up in your face.
For example, it could backfire if your friend is also friends with the person who is arriving at the airport.
In this case, the person could possibly communicate that he/she is going to Uber to your house because no one is coming to get him/her.
02Having a migraine
“Gosh, I have the worst migraine. Yeah, I don’t think that I’ll be able to make it to your party tonight. My head is killing me.”
Migraines are no joke, and some people get really bad ones that can be debilitating. At a Christmas party, there’s bound to be loud noises and chatter, which can make the migraine feel even worse.
So, it would make sense for you to not be able to go to the party; the fear that it will get worse is a legitimate reason to miss a party.
It is also a good excuse because if you did go to the party, you probably wouldn’t enjoy yourself anyway. You’d most likely complain about your headache hurting the whole time, and this would kill the party’s positive vibe.
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03Hungover from another party
“I went too hard last night at my friend’s party. This hangover has been kicking my butt all day. I’m going to have to sit this one out.”
When you were younger, you could party all night long, and back-to-back parties felt very possible. Eventually, however, this kind of lifestyle catches up with you.
In fact, later in life, you aren’t able to “hang” like you did when you were younger, and you’ll take much longer to recover from a night of heavy partying.
This is a good excuse to miss a party because everyone knows that hangovers can really suck. You would be miserable while you were at the party if you were to go to it.
Plus, you would be running the risk of throwing up, which would be a huge buzzkill at the party.
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3 good excuses to miss a party when it’s a bachelorette party
Celebrating that your friend is getting married can be a great feeling. A new chapter is about to begin, and you’re glad to be a part of the moment for your friend.
However, if you can’t make it or don’t feel up to going, you can try any of these good excuses to miss a party when it’s a bachelorette party.
04Can’t find the keys
“I don’t know where on earth I put my house keys. I’ll keep searching, but Frank’s out of town. It means that I’d hate to lock myself in if I can’t find them.”
Losing house keys is a common problem, and locksmiths will tell you about how many calls that they have to answer daily because of it.
They save people who lock their keys in their house or car. They even intervene when others have simply misplaced their keys.
This is a good excuse to use when it’s too late at night to call someone or get a replacement.
This excuse makes sense because your friend wouldn’t want someone to leave his/her house open while partying the night away.
Coming home feeling tipsy after a wild night out with the girls and stumbling in the darkness trying to figure out how to get inside the house would make for a miserable situation.
Photo by Maria Ziegler on unsplash
05You have a flat tire
“I was about to drive out, but I realized quickly that I had a flat tire. My mechanic said that he won’t be able to send anyone here until the morning. Calling a Lyft or an Uber from my location is way too pricey too. Try to have fun without me!”
Flat tires can happen to anyone, and they can happen at any time. They’re annoying, especially if you don’t have a spare tire or can’t change the tire yourself.
This is a good excuse to use when you can’t get a ride from someone else, and it’s useful when paying for a taxi wouldn’t make financial sense because of how far you’d have to travel.
This excuse also works because you can’t safely drive with a flat tire, so you’re stuck where you are at that moment.
Photo by Sebastian Huxley on unsplash
06Babysitter cancelled
“Would you believe that my babysitter canceled on me at the very last minute? I’m trying to find someone else, but I highly doubt that I’ll get one to come over with such short notice.”
Anyone who has kids will understand this struggle, especially when there isn’t much help from the family to take care of the child.
Your friend will understand that you can’t come because you can’t leave your kids at home unattended.
Plus, kids at a bachelorette party is surely not a good idea because it is usually not an appropriate place for them.
Photo by Misha No on reshot
5 good excuses to miss a party when it’s someone’s birthday
You might hate for someone to miss your birthday party, but there’s always next year, right? You can use these good excuses to miss a party when it’s someone’s birthday.
07Family emergency
“I was on my way to the party when I got a call from my sister who was having an emergency. I’m sorry that I have to miss your party, but I need to be by her side right now.”
Family emergencies happen suddenly, and you have the duty to help out a family member wherever and whenever you can.
It’s best not to specify what type of emergency the family member is having because lying about a hospitalization or death can easily be discovered.
Your friend will likely respect your privacy by wishing you and your family member the best of luck.
“It’s raining cats and dogs out here. I don’t think it’s a good idea to drive in this weather.”
This is a good excuse to use when it starts raining heavily. Of course, you could take a chance and try to get to the venue, but a responsible friend would not want you to be outside in a storm or inclement weather.
It also works great when it’s snowing. You could probably add something about having old snow tires and being afraid of skidding or sliding on the road.
Photo by Asheesh on reshot
09Cramp/stomachache
“I don’t think that I’m going to make it today. I’ve been having really bad stomach cramps since last night.”
Women can attest to the fact that bad cramps can completely ruin their plans, and if you’re a woman, this excuse will definitely work with your friend.
It will also work for men because a bad stomach ache can have you hunched over the toilet and begging for relief. It’s a good excuse because everyone can relate to stomach pains.
Photo by Polina Zimmerman under pexels license
10Out-of-town work trip
“My boss just called me saying that I need to get on a flight for an emergency meeting. I can’t miss this one, but I’ll send your gift to your P.O box.”
If you work in an industry that requires you to travel, this should be a regular thing for friends and family to hear. That’s why it’s a great excuse because they will believe it even if it’s not true.
You’ll want to be sure to remain unseen for the next day or two so that no one will suspect you or discover your secret.
11Allergic reaction
“I didn’t know that I was allergic to tea tree oil when I bought this lotion. My skin on my legs broke out in hives!”
This will only work if you can lay low for a couple of days and remain unseen. Allergies to cosmetics are common, especially for people who have sensitive skin.
That’s why producers of cosmetics advise people to do a patch test. It’ll work great if you say that you didn’t pay attention to the instruction.
Your friend will understand that you don’t want to be around others with an itchy, unsightly rash.
Photo by myumyu on photo-ac
4 good excuses to miss a dinner party
Sometimes, dinner parties are seen as overrated. Here are four good excuses to miss a party if you don’t want to attend one.
12Vomiting/nausea
“Don’t bet on seeing me at the party later. I’ve been throwing up all morning.”
Nausea and vomiting can happen for several reasons, but whatever the reason, it’s not a fun experience. Eating can aggravate your symptoms, and it can make you feel even worse.
This is a good excuse to use because the host will want to make sure that you feel better before leaving your house or socializing with others.
Plus, he/she wouldn’t want you throwing up and ruining everyone’s appetite at the party, or to risk having you pass something on, like gastro.
Photo by buri on photo-ac
13You must work early
“We just had our work schedules change, and I’m set to go in at 6 AM tomorrow. If I come to the party tonight, I’ll definitely be too tired at work tomorrow to function.”
Adults know that when it comes to work, you can’t be playing around because you have a lot of other responsibilities to consider.
A real friend will not let you compromise your job just to come to a dinner party, and he/she will likely believe this excuse.
“That was today? I’m very sorry guys, but I promised my wife that we’d do a date night tonight.”
People double schedule things by accident, and it can happen at any time. When it’s something that has to do with your family, it will take priority over whatever else you may have going on.
Your friend will likely understand the obligation that you have, and he/she won’t harbor any hard feelings about you missing the dinner party.
Photo by Andreeas on reshot
15You have no money
“I’m a little strapped for cash because I had to help a friend with a loan recently. Can you take a rain check?”
If the dinner party is at a restaurant, and you have to pay for the food, being short on cash is a good reason to cancel these plans.
This excuse will work with an understanding friend who recognizes that everyone has low points when it comes to their budgets.
Lastly
Now, you can’t say that you can’t back out of any plans ever again. We’ve given you 15 good excuses to miss a party that you can use without consequence.
Now, you can kick back, relax, and enjoy your time doing what you’d much rather do, which is likely spending some quality time alone!
