Would you DJ an event on Christmas Day?

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Would you be willing to DJ an event on Christmas Day?

  • No. I would never work on Christmas Day. It's a must have day off for me

    Votes: 6 46.2%
  • Yes, and Regular Rate would be fine!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, and I would quote 1.5X my normal fee

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, and I would quote 2X my normal fee

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • Yes, but I would charge my regular rate plus a set amount for it being a holiday

    Votes: 6 46.2%

  • Total voters
    13

DJ Ricky B

DJ Extraordinaire
Mar 9, 2015
7,756
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I just received an inquiry from someone who is looking for a DJ for a Christmas Party on Christmas Day at their house. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Only 30 guests all family

I have always been adamant about NOT WORKING on Christmas. Always viewed it as a must have day off with family.

Would you work an event on Christmas day? If you would, how would you charge? Regular price, 1.5X your normal fee? 2X your normal fee? Regular rate plus additional set fee for it being a holiday?
 
I just received an inquiry from someone who is looking for a DJ for a Christmas Party on Christmas Day at their house. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Only 30 guests all family

I have always been adamant about NOT WORKING on Christmas. Always viewed it as a must have day off with family.

Would you work an event on Christmas day? If you would, how would you charge? Regular price, 1.5X your normal fee? 2X your normal fee? Regular rate plus additional set fee for it being a holiday?
I’m sure there is some number that would spark my interest in considering doing an event on Christmas… but I don’t know if 2x is the number… don’t even know if 3x is a number that would do it for me… but I’m sure there’s a number
 
I did already. I did a Christmas speaker jam and dance for an activities committee. They wanted me again but I couldn't do it because I needed hip replacement surgery and it wasn't a good ideal for me to try to do it. I had a hard time getting out of bed and going to the bathroom.
 
I voted no. It's always been a day for family time for me. But I will say, as I'm getting older, we have fewer places to go on Christmas day, and my son is getting older. Usually by noon or 1pm he's off doing his thing with a new gift, or taking a nap or watching "A Christmas Story" for the 492nd time. :D

If it was an evening event, the more I think about it, the more I may be willing to do it. For me, if it was a friend or family, I'd charge my normal rates, maybe even less if it was the kind of thing I could put on a play list and relax a little, drink some eggnog and have some of their party snacks :) If it was neither of those and I needed to be "on my game" so to speak, and actually a full set-up and dj'ing the whole time, I think I'd charge double the normal rate and not feel bad about it.
 
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I might this year, for personal reasons this is not a holiday I am looking forward to this year
This one will be a tough one for our family with the recent passing of my sister. But I think it’s more important than ever that we are there for each other.
 
For me it would depend on what time on Christmas day. If it was later in the afternoon or evening like you mention then I would consider it. We usually get everything done that AM or around lunch, so it might not be an issue for me.
 
Pretty much a no. But as Taso mentioned, I’m sure there’s a number that could change my mind.

Like Scott and Taso there is a number that could talk me in to an evening gig that day the morning would be a hard no
 
I personally wouldn't do it. I want Christmas Off.

So the end result is that my sister is actually willing to do it! With her kids, 1 is an adult, and 1 is 16. NO planned big family dinner this year on my side of the family so she is willing to work if the money is right. She had me quote the prospect $1,400 which would net her $1,050 if it books.

I doubt they will book though. I mean they only have 30 guests, and want karaoke. These types of prospects NEVER want to spend $1,000+ BUT the offer is on the table so maybe there is chance my sister gets a gig that night.
 
We always celebrate Christmas. However, our immediate family is mostly agnostic and Buddhist so the religious aspect carries little significance. Christmas Eve is the intimate gathering for the immediate family. Christmas day is usually a zoo with the entire extended family in attendance and visits with the neighbors. A gig might actually be more relaxing. That said, my absence would be conspicuous so there would be a higher price to pay to pull me away.
 
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I can't imagine someone would want to pay what I'd want to work on Christmas, but I'll similarly say that I imagine that number is out there.

That being said... I would want the gig to be fun. I'm not signing up to listen to karaoke or do a small house party unless it was for very close friends on Christmas.
 
This kind of quote situation is basically where the host throwing this event thinks "Well, it's a small house party, and it's only karaoke for 4 hours...$300 to $500 should be enough money to book a DJ for the party! If we find someone willing to do it for $300...GREAT...If we have to pay $500 to get a DJ, I'm okay with that, but I hope to find someone cheaper..."

The DJ's thinking is like this: "They want a Karaoke DJ on Christmas Day?" ...Well if I'm going to go work on Christmas Day and be away from my family, I better be making some serious cash for the night, or it's not worth it to leave my house to work for the night. I want at least $X,XXX to bother with doing the event and if they want to pay less it's a hard pass!"

This is a serious dis connect between what the prospect has in mind to pay, and what they believe is fair, and what the business owner/DJ has in mind for charging for the event at hand!

I have also noticed this for New Year's Eve events over all the years I have been a DJ. The difference is that there are a lot of DJs who use to want to work for NYE so the prospects would usually find a DJ willing to work with their low budget for the night. The DJs who were fortunate enough to land the high paying NYE events that netted them 2X to 3X their normal pay for an event were the lucky ones.
 
This kind of quote situation is basically where the host throwing this event thinks "Well, it's a small house party, and it's only karaoke for 4 hours...$300 to $500 should be enough money to book a DJ for the party! If we find someone willing to do it for $300...GREAT...If we have to pay $500 to get a DJ, I'm okay with that, but I hope to find someone cheaper..."

The DJ's thinking is like this: "They want a Karaoke DJ on Christmas Day?" ...Well if I'm going to go work on Christmas Day and be away from my family, I better be making some serious cash for the night, or it's not worth it to leave my house to work for the night. I want at least $X,XXX to bother with doing the event and if they want to pay less it's a hard pass!"

This is a serious dis connect between what the prospect has in mind to pay, and what they believe is fair, and what the business owner/DJ has in mind for charging for the event at hand!

I have also noticed this for New Year's Eve events over all the years I have been a DJ. The difference is that there are a lot of DJs who use to want to work for NYE so the prospects would usually find a DJ willing to work with their low budget for the night. The DJs who were fortunate enough to land the high paying NYE events that netted them 2X to 3X their normal pay for an event were the lucky ones.
Your experience is very different than mine we must market to and attract very different clients
 
This kind of quote situation is basically where the host throwing this event thinks "Well, it's a small house party, and it's only karaoke for 4 hours...$300 to $500 should be enough money to book a DJ for the party! If we find someone willing to do it for $300...GREAT...If we have to pay $500 to get a DJ, I'm okay with that, but I hope to find someone cheaper..."

The DJ's thinking is like this: "They want a Karaoke DJ on Christmas Day?" ...Well if I'm going to go work on Christmas Day and be away from my family, I better be making some serious cash for the night, or it's not worth it to leave my house to work for the night. I want at least $X,XXX to bother with doing the event and if they want to pay less it's a hard pass!"

This is a serious dis connect between what the prospect has in mind to pay, and what they believe is fair, and what the business owner/DJ has in mind for charging for the event at hand!

I have also noticed this for New Year's Eve events over all the years I have been a DJ. The difference is that there are a lot of DJs who use to want to work for NYE so the prospects would usually find a DJ willing to work with their low budget for the night. The DJs who were fortunate enough to land the high paying NYE events that netted them 2X to 3X their normal pay for an event were the lucky ones.
No not lucky. In such a case the guest attending the event on NYE are paying good money to be there and the client hosting the event will likely be willing to pay some good money to book a DJ. Now it's up to you what you consider to be a good enough pay for you to do the event. What one DJ would do it for another would say no way.
 
No not lucky. In such a case the guest attending the event on NYE are paying good money to be there and the client hosting the event will likely be willing to pay some good money to book a DJ. Now it's up to you what you consider to be a good enough pay for you to do the event. What one DJ would do it for another would say no way.
Most people don’t charge to attend parties they throw
 
There was a time when Christmas was a 3 day holiday for us. With young kids, there was simply NO time for doing a gig. Now that the kids are 30+, they have their own things going on, so doing a gig on Christmas day would NOT be a problem. (for the right price)
 
It's a no for me, dawg. I'm in my early 40s, no kids, just a somewhat happy wife, a dog and 2 chickens, lol. But my parents are nearing their 70s so any Christmas I can spend with them I will. They alternate Christmas up here and in Arizona, where 2 of my siblings live with their families. Who knows how many more I will get with them.

Now when the time comes and they've moved on I'd probably consider something, would help pay for my early January Cabo trip!
 
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