Decorations, themes, food and drink — all these things are pretty essential for a good holiday party. But if you really want your guests to stay, you need to give them a good reason.
“You want people to stay and have a good time,” said Mike Koutrobis, a New Hampshire DJ and comedian. “A lot of times, people are going to parties out of obligations. They have dinner, say hi and fade away. If you do something to make the party last longer, the more people will stay and the more fun it’s going to be.”
The Hippo talked with Koutrobis, event planner Emily St. Pierre and DJ Joey Dion about how to keep your guests entertained from start to end with music, games and entertainment.
In the mood with music
Even if there’s no dancing at your party, you’ve got to have music to heighten the holiday mood. But choosing the right tunes, said Dion, founder of Londonderry’s Main Event Entertainment, can be difficult.
“There are so many different genres and tastes out there,” Dion said. “If possible, play music that casts a wide net. Make as many people at the party comfortable and happy [as possible]. … When you go to a party, you want to have fun, and music will motivate a crowd to do that.”
Choose songs by current artists’ Christmas albums in all genres. Dion says people constantly ask for Michael Buble but still appreciate old-school renditions by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley.
How can you tell if your guests are enjoying it? Look to see if people are tapping their toes or moving to the music. And look at your guests’ reactions when you start a song; Dion calls this something of a DJ Jedi mind trick.
“When DJs first start a song, they throw a glance out at the room. People will look at you [the DJ] when they like the song you’re playing,” he said.
When in doubt, cast throwbacks. Think about what the big bands were when your guests were growing up, and find those Christmas albums.
“When you have a group of adults, go the more nostalgic route. It’s going to bring up childhood memories,” said St. Pierre, who runs the Concord-based event planning company All the Fuss Events. “I grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and whenever I hear the New Kids on the Block holiday mix, oh my gosh, it reminds me of when I was 7. … Most popular bands have a Christmas album, and it’s just about tracking down those Christmas songs people haven’t heard in a long time.”
Games and entertainment
“When you’re planning a party, you want elements people are going to remember. There’s decor, food and beverages. … But the parties people are going to remember are the ones they laugh and have a good experience at. You can have flowers on the table, but if it’s boring, they’re going to go home,” St. Pierre said.
When she’s planning parties, St. Pierre considers what guests might have gone through in order to attend — did they make a long drive? Did they hire a babysitter?
“Play games, adult games maybe people haven’t played in a while. Something like trivia or something more current, like Cards Against Humanity, which is a big trend in fun party games,” St. Pierre said.
Games act as icebreakers and allow for easier interaction between guests who don’t know each other.
Many holiday-specific games exist, but you can also add a holiday twist to traditional ones. (Our box here provides a few ideas, but for more, Google will not disappoint.)
Want to make certain your guests will actually want to get involved? Add prizes into the mix.
“Everybody wants something for free. If you want something decent, you’re going to get someone to [play the games],” Koutrobis said.
Gift certificates are king, and of those, Koutrobis says Dunkin’ Donuts, Apple and Visa gift cards are best. Give the best prizes out at the end.
“You don’t want to do everything right off the bat or people will leave. You want to stretch it out,” Koutrobis said. “If you’re giving away the big present at 10 p.m., people will be like, ‘Aw crap, I can’t leave before 10 p.m. now.’”
As seen in the December 18, 2014 issue of the Hippo.
