3 tips from an event DJ for a successful party flow with a perfect ending
The food, speeches, presents, DJ, and music - anyone organising a Christmas party puts a lot of thought into what will contribute to a successful evening for the employees. However, people rarely think about how to end the Christmas party without the party guests being disappointed that the party is over. The impact of shuttle buses on the party atmosphere is also often underestimated.
As an event DJ for Christmas parties, there are 3 points to consider regarding the party schedule and the end of the party.
Communicate the Christmas party schedule and any shuttle bus times to your event DJ so they can prepare for these pre-determined breaks in the evening.
The beauty of Christmas parties is that all the employees of a company celebrate together in a relaxed atmosphere and the mix of guests is completely heterogeneous. From apprentices to those nearing retirement, everyone is there; some look forward to a lively party, others to a cosy evening with good food. However, this also means that a not insignificant portion of the party guests will take the first shuttle bus home or head home after dinner and the official part of the evening. This means that at certain points, large parts of the party crowd leave, and it is very important that the event DJ skilfully handles this with the right music, tailored to the remaining party guests, so that the transition is barely noticeable to most guests.
2. If a fixed end time for the Christmas party has been set in advance, it is important to communicate this to the event DJ and the guests beforehand.
If the DJ and guests don't know the planned end time of the party in advance, an abrupt "lights on" can cause great disappointment among the guests. What remains is the canteen legend of the Christmas party, which was brilliant until a spoilsport suddenly switched on the lights and threw everyone out.
If the party is planned to end at 1.00 am, 2.00 am, or 3.00 am, it is always a good idea to communicate this to the guests in advance. This means the dance floor is usually used more intensively because everyone wants to get the best out of the party. If an event DJ knows when the party will end, they can start a short cool-down phase approx. 15-20 minutes before the party ends. To ensure that everyone has fond memories of the party, an event DJ's job is to gradually slow down the hot party phase and prepare for the end of the party both in terms of content (via music lyrics) and by turning down the volume.
Event DJ: End the Christmas party with a skilful cool-down phase
Whether the party end is dictated by the venue for 4:00 AM or 5:00 AM, you as the organiser don't need to worry too much about the end for now. After a long day with good food and drinks, many Christmas parties finish around this timeframe. If, against all expectations, there's still wild dancing at 4:15 AM, the event DJ will be aware of the planned end time and can use the cool-down phase to gently bring the party's conclusion to mind.
What might the songs be like during such a cool-down phase at the end of the Christmas party? Here’s an example:
3. The Christmas party is celebrated "open end" because the location does not specify end times
This tends to be the most straightforward version. Here, the party naturally concludes with the dancers' mood. Should you, as the organiser, wish to end the Christmas party eventually, inform your event DJ about 30–45 minutes beforehand so they can professionally bring the party to a good close with a skillful cool-down set.
However, you must also make it clear to your DJ that you do not want them to proactively end the party by initiating the cool-down phase without consultation. For an „open-ended“ party, the Christmas celebration should always conclude in a way that matches the party mood of the guests.
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