The lights are strung, the tickets are scanned, and the "Sold Out" sign is proudly displayed. But as an event organizer, the holiday season usually feels less like a "winter wonderland" and more like a high-stakes game of Tetris played at 2x speed.
By the time you finally get to your own family gathering or friend’s holiday party, your "Event Brain" is likely still stuck in high gear. You know the feeling: you’re trying to enjoy a glass of eggnog, but you’re secretly wondering if the host has a backup plan for the ice situation or if the guest flow in the living room is OSHA-compliant.
To help you actually enjoy the festivities this year, we’ve put together the Official Event Organizer’s Holiday Survival Guide.
We know you want to print out a minute-by-minute itinerary for Christmas morning or the final night of Hanukkah. We know you want to assign "Load-in" and "Load-out" times for the gift exchange. Don’t do it. The holidays are the one time of year when a "delayed start" isn't a crisis—it’s just a nap. If dinner is 30 minutes late, remember: there is no disgruntled crowd waiting in the lobby. Take a breath and let the schedule slide.
Event pros have a "Third Eye" for spotting problems. You see a flickering candle; you think fire hazard. You see a lopsided tree; you think structural integrity.
The Survival Tip: For one night, pretend you don't see the disorganized buffet line. If the napkins don’t match the tablecloth, let it go. Your job tonight is "Guest," not "Safety Marshal."
At your own party, you shouldn't be the one checking coats, mixing every drink, and answering the door. Use the same logic you use at your venues: Delegate. Assign your tech-savvy nephew to be the "DJ" and put your cousin in charge of the "Refreshment Station." Your only job is to be the VIP attendee.
In the world of ticketing and events, we live for the "Strike"—tearing down the set and getting out of there. But at home? The dishes can wait.
Instead of spending your entire holiday cleaning up as you go (we see you, hovering by the trash can with a bin liner), give yourself permission to leave the "venue" messy until morning.
In your professional life, success is measured by ticket sales, ROI, and scan rates. For your personal holiday, change your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators):
KPI #1: Number of cookies consumed
KPI #2: Minutes spent in pajamas
KPI #3: Number of times you checked your email (Goal: 0)
You spend all year creating memories for other people. Whether you’re running a festival or a theater, you are the magic-maker behind the scenes.
From all of us at Passage, we hope you take a moment this week to enjoy some of that magic for yourself. You’ve earned it!
Happy Holidays!