This past Friday Night, December 2 was a special moment for me. It was my first holiday party of the 2022 season. But even more so, it marked the first holiday party for my company since 2019. So, what was supposed to be a normal holiday party turned into a monumental moment of triumph for me!
Looking back to 2019 as I wrapped up my final party in late December little did I know how long it would be before I returned to a corporate holiday event. We all know what happened in 2020 as no companies would dare hold a holiday event with the vaccines not even ready for distribution. But it was even more of a kick in the teeth as in 2021 we saw the possibility of a return to normalcy. But then the Omicron variant emerged and scared everyone away from larger gatherings of co-workers. What a disaster!
For my company based in the NorthEast we are very used to wedding season kicking in just after Easter and running to November. Then, a jam packed December holiday party season is the BIG final pay day to get us through the winter running January – March. The income from December is extremely important for us to not only survive the winter but also pay for bridal shows and advertising during engagement season. That period kicks up with fury just after Christmas and is the busiest time for wedding bookings! But you need the December event revenues to allow for the necessary promotion. And let’s not forget equipment purchases and improvements. It all takes money to make money.
I specialize in weddings so for me the holiday corporate party season is almost a break and chance to chill out a bit. Without all of the demands from a wedding we DJs can often let loose and really enjoy these festive holiday celebrations! But for me it’s even more. As I enter my 35th year in this business I can remember back to the 80’s when my Dad would come with me on all the Christmas parties. Back then we were a team and as a teen-ager I certainly appreciated his presence as my mentor. Hearing tunes such as “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole really brings nostalgia and memories of Christmas parties from my past.
With a lump in my throat I headed out Friday night December 2 to a familiar Country Club and set up to perform for a long time regular client from Yale University. A wonderful group that has patronized my company for the past 15 years! But not since 2019. And it all hit me when my contact handed me a check and said it’s been 3 years and “its so nice to see you again!” I was actually shocked as I had not realized it had been that long. The pandemic seems like one huge blur.
So with that I opened up the dance floor and showed my group a blast of a time until the conclusion at 11:00pm. As the last guest left and wished me Merry Christmas I realized how much we take what we do for granted! It is so very true that “you don’t know what you GOT…….. until it is gone!”
Celebrate the season in health, happiness and appreciation this year!
Merry Christmas! – Mike