Holiday Parties are back, for all or some?

[bb]

Hey group, how is your Holiday Party Bookings going? With the economy being better I'm finding this year to be going well. Lots of companies are doing them again. Sadly many have such low budgets in mind for the entertainment. Although, there are enough inquiries to pass on the those with low budgets, and go for the ones that will pay a respectable rate.

Also, karaoke is mostly dead for Holiday Parties it appears. Only 2 groups have added it as an optional service this December. Use to have 10-12 in December now only 2 wanting Karaoke.

 

[Mark Evans]

Had one last year and the same group called this year but called back saying they didn’t have the money. Here most companies have downgraded the parties due to lawsuits, drinking and driving, sexual harassment. Sad, used to do about 6 every year.

 

[bb]

We have lost several that now go to the Casinos and just eat, drink and gamble. Employees get casino chips to play ($50-$100 each), instead of a DJ to keep them entertained. Guess which lasts a lot longer 15 minutes of gambling and the money is gone, or a DJ (that is good)? Poor investment for the company if you ask me. Great for the casinos since they score all of the money and even more as employees foolishly dig into their own pockets to play longer.

 

[bb]

So how are Holiday Party bookings going for the on-lookers. Any new contests, icebreakers ideas or new Christmas songs you plan to play?

 

[Bill_Goode]

I have a big uptick in holiday events this year.

The funny thing is that they are luncheons, photobooth-only events, or combo events that are not just DJ only.

January looks to be a busy month as well. Some are holiday-in-January events, others are business promotions.

The only thing I see, and it frustrates me, are those who book last minute. That has increased over those who do longer term planning.

With the travel business, we are hoping to use wave season to fill the DJ calendar with weddings and start the travel side for 2019 with a bang.

 

[Ausumm]

When I started 30 years ago....
I worked for a multi-op that had as many as 9 systems out at a time.
We ALL had plenty of holiday parties...
and were usually booked every Friday AND Saturday in December.
I remember paying for all my Christmas presents on December money alone!

In recent years...we've only had a handful.
Personally, I might have done 4 in the past 10 years.

Even my full time employers have backed off.
They settled for a happy hour event with finger food and one drink ticket...
or nothing at all.

 

[Old_Goat]

I have a big uptick in holiday events this year.

The funny thing is that they are luncheons, photobooth-only events, or combo events that are not just DJ only.

January looks to be a busy month as well. Some are holiday-in-January events, others are business promotions.

The only thing I see, and it frustrates me, are those who book last minute. That has increased over those who do longer term planning.

With the travel business, we are hoping to use wave season to fill the DJ calendar with weddings and start the travel side for 2019 with a bang.

I think the "last minute" books were because the entire issue was "last minute". We spent several years seeing all of the aforementioned "woes" in action. When, all of a sudden, it became "okay" again, people were left not having any idea what to do or how to do it. I think that applies to budgets, as well. Those of us who have been doing this since the 70s have seen this wave a couple of times. Between each, HR people we've dealt with retire and a new person is there who has no idea what he/she is doing. NOT as an HR person, but as a "coordinator". I think we'll see more and more refinement of skills over the next8-10 years or so; and then, it will start over again.