"Bob Terwilliger" wrote in message
...
Serene wrote:

There's no need to give excuses, especially ones that are easily seen
through. It's fine just to say, "Oh, sorry, we won't be able to make
it
(or "we have other plans that night"). Have a wonderful time!"

But that *is* an easy-to-reveal excuse unless you plan to abandon your
house that evening simply to avoid being caught in a lie.

Nonsense. "We have other plans" doesn't say whether the plans are outside
or inside your home. It's not a lie at all, even if your only other
plans
are to be as far from that party as possible.

Mendacity. "We have other plans," while vague enough to TECHNICALLY mean
very little, in context implies that you have some SPECIAL plans for the
evening involving something other than sitting around the house. If the
hostess finds that you were staying at home that evening, and that's what
your "other plans" were, don't you think she'd be insulted?



Bob

If someone invites you to provide $200 worth of food and wine for their
dinner party and you decline saying you have "other plans" and then don't
leave the house and the hostess is insulted where's the downside? If she's
insulted she won't be inviting you to provide for her dinner parties any
longer.


Ms P