At some point, you must have received an invitation that you just could not accept. You may have had loads of genuine reasons but if they are said in the wrong way then it might turn out be offensive. If you’ve ever wondered how to decline an invitation without sounding rude, read on as these simple tips will help you with it.

#1. Start with thank you

Start by showing the host that you appreciate the invitation. Commence by saying something like “Thank you so much for the invitation, I really appreciate it and it means a lot.” Even if you are going to decline it later, it’s important to let the host know that you appreciate the invitation.

#2. Say why you can’t make it

When giving your reasons about why you can’t make it, it’s always best to go straight to the point and keep it simple. There may be lots of reasons why you might not be able to attend an event. It could be that you were already invited to another event at the same time. In that case you can say “I’m sorry I can’t make it I’ve already got something planned”.

If you are too busy to attend, you could say “I wish I could make it but I’ve got a lot on my plate right now.”

If you’re not just interested, you can simply say “Gatherings like these are not just my thing”. Remember to keep it short otherwise, it will make it sound like you’re just trying to come up with excuses.

#3. Suggest another time

After you’ve let the person know that you can’t make it on that particular day, you can suggest another day to make up for it. For example, if you were invited for dinner and you can’t make it, you could simply say something like ‘I’m really sorry I can’t make it on that day; how about next weekend?’ This will help ease up things. However, this is only applicable when the invitation is exclusive to you only.

#4. Never ignore the invitation

Most people think that ignoring the invitation and not responding at all will be the easy way out. This is not so at all. In fact, it is very rude. Ignoring an invitation shows that you lack manners and etiquette. This might upset the host greatly.

#5. Call after the event

After the event, say a day or two, call the host to find out how the event went. This shows the host that you genuinely care and wanted to be present but due to circumstances beyond your control you couldn’t.

#6. Get a gift

Everyone loves a gift. So if the event was a birthday party or any other event where it is appropriate to give a gift, just buy something special for the host. This will help reduce the tension, and if your gift is really good, maybe he/she might just get over it fast.

Declining an invitation doesn’t mean you are rejecting it; it simply means that the invitation came at the wrong time for you. So the next time you are going to say no to an invitation don’t feel bad about it. As long as you do it in the most polite way, it is okay.

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