Why is it so hard to say no? How I wish my parents had taught me some charming yet decisive way of refusing unwanted invitations. Or alternatively taught me to lie convincingly.

Today Son went round for a play date at some friends' (yes, that apostrophe is in the right place as they are twins so it's a plural) house. The Mum asked what I was doing over xmas and whether I would consider joining them for a bit of a get together with some of the other army people, and their kids, and have a few drinks and some party games. I know that Hubby would rather poke needles in his eyes than spend the day with random army people (just because he's spent the last twenty years or so in the army, doesn't mean he automatically wants to spend every waking moment with soldiers), getting drunk and forcing him to play pictionary or charades. But, having stupidly admitted to not having any firm plans until New Year, what could I say? I was on the brink of saying "Ooh yes, that would be lovely" but had a flashing vision of me telling Hubby about it, him saying "Well, I'm not bloody going," and me having to go on my own with all three kids and make up some limp excuse about Hubby having a migrane or somesuch. So I said, "That's very kind of you, but, erm, we usually just spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day and all the rest of the Christmas holidays in fact, just erm, hanging out with the kids and you know, playing with them, but it's really kind of you to ask." 

I mean, puh-lease, how lame is that for an excuse. But what else was I to say? "It's terribly kind of you but my husband would actually rather saw off his tadger with a blunt butter knife than spend time playing the post-it note game with you and yours." I think not.

Can anyone offer better etiquette/lying technniques, as I am just utterly useless.