Looking for good excuses for not going to a New Year’s Eve party?
Whether you just want to be alone on New Year’s or avoid someone or somewhere, in particular, that’s up to you.
If you don’t want to offend someone, I get it, I’ve had to make my fair share of excuses over the years.
As long as you use a good, believable excuse that the person inviting won’t try and challenge, you’ll be in the clear!
To help you out, here are 20 of the best excuses, see which one(s) will work for you:
20 Excuses for Not Going to New Year’s Eve Party
1. Sorry, I’ve Already Said Yes to Another Party!
It’s nice to be popular!
Even if this isn’t true and you’re just making an excuse, it would be poor form to cancel a party you’ve already agreed to so you can attend another.
This excuse should be enough to make the person asking accept it and move on.
Related – Need to get out of a Xmas party? Here are 20 awesome excuses.
2. I’m Actually Away Over New Year’s
Ah, saying you’re out of town and unable to physically attend an event even if you wanted to.
This is a classic and pretty failsafe excuse, just be prepared to answer where you’re going and stick to that story.
3. I Prefer to Spend New Year’s with Family, It’s a Tradition
This is a great excuse for those who want to avoid going out on New Year’s Eve but don’t necessarily want to admit to it.
You can say that you always stay in and see the New Year in with family, which isn’t that unbelievable as this is what a lot of people do.
4. I Have No One to Watch My Pets
This excuse goes down just fine with pet lovers but might be hard to sell to someone who isn’t.
Either way, it’s a valid excuse to say that you have pets to look after on New Year’s Eve.
5. I Get Anxious in Crowds
Since the pandemic, this excuse has become a lot more popular, and rightly so.
If you struggle in large crowds or just generally don’t feel comfortable around a lot of people, then this is an acceptable excuse.
Or, you can just use it as an excuse anyway if you like it over other options.
6. I Have No Way of Getting Home
This is another one that isn’t going to work for everyone. But if you live in an area with poor public transport it might just do the trick.
Don’t forget that public transport is sparse over New Year’s and a lot more expensive, so it’s a believable excuse.
7. I Can’t Commit to Saying Yes This Far Out
You can’t pretend that the date of a New Year’s party is a surprise, but you could say that you’ll get back to them nearer the time.
It might be taken as a way of saying you’re waiting for a better offer or look like you’re dodging answering, but I’d use it.
8. Appreciate the Invite, But I Can’t Make It
If you don’t want to lie or make up a story that you might get mixed up at a later date, you can simply say that you can’t make it.
They might ask why, but you don’t have to tell them. Just stick to the fact that you can’t make it and move on.
Related – Here’s how to decline an invitation to a dinner party.
9. I’m House-Sitting for Someone
House-sitting is always a good excuse because you’re being paid to sit inside someone’s house!
It’s believable on New Year’s Eve too as a lot of people go out or away and crime goes up.
10. I’m Pet-Sitting for Someone
Just like house-sitting, pet-sitting is also a good excuse to use.
Again, it’s believable as a lot of people like to go away, and you’re doing the pet owners a favor while earning a few dollars.
11. I’m Flat Broke
It’s not cheap going out on New Year’s Eve, so saying that you’re flat broke is a good excuse.
This works particularly well if the person asking knows your financial situation and it’s believable.
It’s not going to go down as well if you’ve been invited to a house party though.
12. We Have Family in From Out Of Town
This is a great excuse if you want to stay in on New Year’s but don’t want the person asking to think it’s weird or you’re making poor excuses.
Having family in from out of town to celebrate New Year’s is a big deal and a perfectly fine excuse not to go out.
13. It’s Not Been a Great Year, I Find It Hard to Celebrate
This one is a little ‘feel sorry for me’ but honestly, it’s the way a lot of people feel over New Year’s.
You could simply say that you don’t feel like celebrating, but I’d expect friends to try and change my mind if I said this.
Some Excuses You Can Use Last Minute on New Years’ Eve:
14. I’m Feeling Too Ill
Whether you’re faking it or genuinely feeling under the weather, this is a great excuse for last-minute cancellations.
15. A Last Minute Emergency Has Come Up
This is another excuse where you may or may not be asked more about it, but either way, it’s one I’d use in a heartbeat.
Sometimes life gets in the way and things crop up last minute, it’s understandable.
Related – Tips for declining invitations to hang out and go to a wedding.
16. My Transport Has Let Me Down
Transport is hard to arrange over New Year’s, you could say you had something lined up but have been let down yourself.
It’s not as easy as getting an Uber or using public transport as a backup over New Year’s either.
17. A Close Friend Is Going Through Something and I Need to Be There
Again, this excuse leans on someone else, but that’s a great way of taking the focus off of you and should stop the person from asking you to change your plans.
18. I Have to Be up Super Early Tomorrow Now
This excuse isn’t going to work in all situations as New Year’s Day is usually a holiday, but it’s worth mentioning.
If you can think of something you’d need to be up early for the next day it’s a valid excuse to skip a party.
19. I Feel Asleep and Now It’s Too Late!
This is a super last-minute excuse and you may even wait till someone is texting you asking where you are to use it.
Saying you fell asleep is a decent excuse though, even if it does leave you looking like a bit of a flaker.
20. I’m Just Not in The Party Mood
Again, this is another poor excuse, but it means you don’t have to come up with an elaborate lie that might come back to bite you.
Just simply say that you’re not in the mood to party and you’ll only be a downer if you do go!
Image credits – depositphotos.com/stock-photo-happy-friends-clinking-glasses-champagne
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.