Spooked Out of Hosting? 5 Ways to Politely Ask Guests to Leave

The party season has arrived, and the first event on the calendar is Halloween! The British have wholeheartedly embraced this celebration, as evidenced by the data which reveals Brits spent a staggering £28.95 million on pumpkins last year—a remarkable 15% increase from the previous year. And London is projected to be the region with the highest Halloween expenditure in 2023, with an impressive 72% of residents planning to spend an average of £49.50 each. There seems to be no shortage of reasons to celebrate the season!

Whether it’s for the spooky season of Halloween, the jolly festivities of Christmas, or the celebration of special occasions like birthdays, hosting parties can go on for what feels like an eternity, stretching well into the starry night. Mastering the art of gently nudging your guests towards the exit can be as tricky as finding a needle in a haystack! Knowing how to start moving your guests on is essential – though not the simplest part of hosting!

“Guests can often outstay their welcome without meaning to, especially when it comes to a good party. And sometimes pulling out the after-party coffee is the only way you can think to get your guests to start grabbing their coats.” Lucy Ward, Marketing Executive at Beanies Flavour Co, an expert in flavoured coffee, shared.

From witchy welcomes to witching hour, here are some tips to get your ghoulish guests to leave on time…

1. Book a venue

One way to ensure your guests leave at a reasonable time is by booking a venue. By hosting your event at a venue other than your home, you can set an end time limit to the evening. This can either be the closing time for the venue or whenever you’ve paid to stay there.

This means that, even if you want a small party that ends mid-afternoon, this can be done. You don’t need to be partying into the night to have a good time, and by finding a place which can accommodate this, you can send your guests home with a smile without them knowing your devilish plan!

This also means that anyone looking to carry on the evening can do so elsewhere without stopping the fun – leaving you to go home to your comfy bed and pyjamas without worrying.

2. Set a designated leaver

Another way is getting a trusted friend or family member to be the designated leaver. Especially if it is a smaller party, your guests are likely to start leaving if they notice others are leaving, too. By confiding in someone to be the designated leaver, they can make a moment out of their departure, and hopefully, your other friends and family will follow suit.

While this might work for some of your loved ones, it is not guaranteed for all of them – there will always be that one person dancing away! So, using this alongside some other tips can give you the best chance of moving your party on without keeping it going.

3. Set an end time ahead of the event

You could also set a dedicated end time well ahead of the event so no one is surprised when the music suddenly stops. When sending out invitations, set a specific start and end time so that your guests know what to expect. This also means that they can arrange further plans later on if they’re looking to spend all Hallows Eve having the time of their life.

While some guests might not notice the time, they cannot be surprised when you start packing away and turning the big lights on.

4. Start cleaning up

One way to shut down a party is by starting to clean up. Nothing says end of the night like a bin bag filled with rubbish and decorations. The key here is to clean away essential items too (like the buffet food) so that guests don’t just think you’re tidying up in the middle of the party.

Cleaning not only signals to everyone that the night is over, but it can also encourage some to help you out – meaning less work for you after throwing the whole party. And for others, it means a quick exit so they don’t feel guilty for not staying around to help. Win-win!

5. Start turning the music down

And if you start turning the music down or even off, your guests should start getting the hint. With neighbours to consider, you don’t want your music to be loud all night (especially if they aren’t at the party with you!), so turning this down at a reasonable time is essential anyway.

If you’re worried about the noise before the end of the party, you can give your neighbours a warning or even an invite to the party. You can also try soundproofing the walls with panels or even egg boxes, keep windows and doors closed, and keep the majority of sound in a room furthest away from your neighbours.

Getting your party guests to leave when the fun has only just started can be difficult, and for many, a Halloween party signifies a monster mashing into the middle of the night. But not every party has to last until the early hours. Instead, try cleaning up, setting an end time, or even blaming a venue for the end of the party blues!

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