Tips for Planning Entertainment for End-of-Year Christmas Parties
Ho ho ho! I played plenty of Christmas event events in my day. Here's a few tips to making sure that your event is a success.
What is the purpose of the entertainment? Do you just want people to boogie to pop hits, or do you want them to get nostalgic listening to Christmas music? I'm shocked at how often I see Christmas entertainment that isn't Christmas-y. No carols. No outfits. It's not like Christmas at all - to quote the song. If you are booking Christmas entertainment for a Christmas event, it should feel Christmassy!
Know your crowd. What will they enjoy the most? Some crowds at a Christmas party just want to sit and enjoy the music, and don’t feel like dancing. That’s ok! The role of the entertainment is to entertain.
Request specific carols if you want them. I love playing Christmas events. I love playing carols. Many musicians do not. If you want specific carols, it's important that you ask the Band or DJ to play them. Otherwise, they may go for a top-40 heavy setlist with very little Christmas music.