Christmas Party Coming Up... Need Music Advice

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!
DJ Bobcat

DJ Bobcat

DJ Extraordinerror
Nov 8, 2014
9,290
14,262
Oklahoma City
I have an Office Christmas Party coming up later this month and I'm having difficulty deciding on the music.
I usually prepare a playlist, which I use as a guide... especially early on, then I pull in music from other lists when I have a better sense of the audience. This will be my first office Christmas party, but it is a weekday evening event and spouses are invited. There is a dinner during the first hour, so the dinner music is easy.
The difficulty I'm having is trying to decide how much Christmas music to mix in; like is it one Christmas song to two non-Christmas songs? Anyone have a good playlist?
I have a ton of great Christmas Music, but not much of it danceable. Any suggestions are welcome?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last one I did was 75% holiday music (mostly xmas, but a few new years and 1 Hanukkah thrown in) and some rat pack and jazz for cocktails and dinner ... then there were a couple of speeches, then a mix of top 40 and classic dance (only for maybe 45 minutes until the end).

For the Christmas songs, I tried to find newer, uptempo versions .. this is where the idjpool holiday stuff comes in handy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sonic-vision and DJ Bobcat
Check with the client... is it a "Christmas Party" or a "Holiday Party"? People are getting so PC these days that they might not want "Christmas music".... During dancing I don't usually drop any Christmas music. Maybe a slow song here or there, but it just depends...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scott Hanna, ittigger, MIXMASTERMACHOM and 1 other person
Chuck The DJ said:
Check with the client... is it a "Christmas Party" or a "Holiday Party"? People are getting so PC these days that they might not want "Christmas music".... During dancing I don't usually drop any Christmas music. Maybe a slow song here or there, but it just depends...
Click to expand...
Chuck, you are correct. I should have been clearer. Even though they call it a Christmas party, it is not supposed to have any religious overtones, so no Christmas carols or hymns. I can use the old Christmas songs, like "Winter Wonderland", "Let It Snow", "Baby It's Cold Outside", etcetera. I have plenty of newer holiday music as well. They want me to mix in a variety of popular and country music, the problem I'm having is trying to figure out the percentage of "holiday" music verses the amount of other music. I have the one hour of dinner music covered, but I need to do 3 more hours of mixed music. I have no idea if people will dance or just socialize, but I want to keep it upbeat so they can dance if they choose.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Chuck The DJ
On my last one .. I didn't ask .. some of the best known holiday songs have religious underpinnings .. wasn't going to shy away from them. Though it would be fair to ask ... not sure where my Ramadan or Festivus song collection is at.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger and DJ Bobcat
ittigger said:
Usually during dinner, I go for the upbeat adult contemporary Christmas music. After that, game's on and it's dance music. I will usually close with Christmas music too.
Click to expand...

I follow the same basic pattern, but I tend toward the "classic" holiday music - from the 50's and 60's. I find that the older songs still have a wide appeal, and are less likely to be perceived as overtly "religious" (if that is an issue for the event).
 
  • Like
Reactions: sonic-vision, DJ Bobcat and ittigger
steve149 said:
On my last one .. I didn't ask .. some of the best known holiday songs have religious underpinnings .. wasn't going to shy away from them. Though it would be fair to ask ... not sure where my Ramadan or Festivus song collection is at.
Click to expand...
I was asked to do this same party last year, but I felt that I was not ready. So I want to do a REAL good job, because I'm pretty sure this will be a party I will do every year if I do.
As with other gigs I've done, I know the the organizer very well... we've been friends for years and worked together as well. It's one of those events that should be pretty easy... held in the second floor party room of a restaurant with an elevator; 60-80 guests; 7-11 with no overtime possible. Awards presented to employees after dinner. I'm looking forward to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: MIXMASTERMACHOM, ittigger and steve149
soundinmotiondj said:
I follow the same basic pattern, but I tend toward the "classic" holiday music - from the 50's and 60's. I find that the older songs still have a wide appeal, and are less likely to be perceived as overtly "religious" (if that is an issue for the event).
Click to expand...

I go back and forth between the older and newer stuff - but some of the classics fall in the adult contemporary category.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bobcat
Chuck The DJ said:
Check with the client... is it a "Christmas Party" or a "Holiday Party"? People are getting so PC these days that they might not want "Christmas music".... During dancing I don't usually drop any Christmas music. Maybe a slow song here or there, but it just depends...
Click to expand...
You read my mind. I was going to say find out what the client wants and doesn't want. Then take it from there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bobcat
DJ Bobcat said:
You forgot to ask what I'm charging for this event?[emoji3]
Click to expand...

So I know it's none of my business but what are you charging for this event? Is it enough to keep you going? ;)

I do similar to what Tigger said during dinner I play a good healthy dose of Xmas music after that maybe 2 or 3 during the evening tops
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
Jeff Romard said:
So I know it's none of my business but what are you charging for this event? Is it enough to keep you going? ;)...
Click to expand...
I charge $100 per hour; the event is 7-11:00PM, so it will bring in $400:nod:. I would probably have given a discount, considering it is on a week night, but the client did not ask for one. Is it enough to keep me going (LOL)? Well it would not be enough to keep a normal business going... doing two gigs in 6 months is a losing proposition, but I'm not exactly pounding the pavement to drum up more business (LOL). I guess that makes me somewhat of a professional hobbiest, huh? (LOL). What keeps me going is the fun I'm having.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger and Jeff Romard
DJ Bobcat said:
I charge $100 per hour; the event is 7-11:00PM, so it will bring in $400:nod:. I would probably have given a discount, considering it is on a week night, but the client did not ask for one. Is it enough to keep me going (LOL)? Well it would not be enough to keep a normal business going... doing two gigs in 6 months is a losing proposition, but I'm not exactly pounding the pavement to drum up more business (LOL). I guess that makes me somewhat of a professional hobbiest, huh? (LOL). What keeps me going is the fun I'm having.
Click to expand...

Just trying to save mixmastermachomanthepriceaskingman a little typing ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: steve149, ittigger and DJ Bobcat
DJ Bobcat said:
I charge $100 per hour; the event is 7-11:00PM, so it will bring in $400:nod:. I would probably have given a discount, considering it is on a week night, but the client did not ask for one. Is it enough to keep me going (LOL)? Well it would not be enough to keep a normal business going... doing two gigs in 6 months is a losing proposition, but I'm not exactly pounding the pavement to drum up more business (LOL). I guess that makes me somewhat of a professional hobbiest, huh? (LOL).
Click to expand...
LOL...my azz.

You are the antithesis of a professional.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back