Planning a Christmas party usually starts with one question: is it still too early, or already too late? In September, December feels far away — yet these are exactly the weeks when the best venues, equipment and hosts get booked. Below is a practical timeline that shows what to confirm right now, what can wait a month, and what you can safely leave until November.
There are only four or five party weekends in December before Christmas, and the vast majority of companies want the same Fridays. The number of venues is limited, and free dates rarely come back on the market — usually only when an earlier booking is cancelled.
The same logic applies to equipment, only more strictly. A photo booth, a photo mirror or a 360° platform is a physical device that can only be in one place on any given evening. If two clients want the same December Friday, it goes to whoever confirmed first. In September and October there is still plenty of choice; by November you start adjusting either the date or the wish list.
The point of a timeline is not to decide everything at once, but to lock down first the resources that cannot be duplicated: the date, the room, the people and the equipment. Menus, decor and games can still be refined in November without anything slipping away.
The most common mistake is to start hunting for a room before the date has been agreed internally. Then it turns out management prefers a completely different week, and the search begins again from scratch.
A practical approach: pick two or three dates in order of preference and request quotes for all of them at once. Keep in mind that Friday is the most sought-after day. A Thursday or Saturday party usually gives you a noticeably wider choice of both venues and equipment, and set-up times are easier to agree on.
Before confirming a room, get answers to these points — they are much harder to change later:
Ask for the answers in writing and add them to the booking confirmation. In December the same hall often serves several parties a day, and verbal agreements get forgotten on a busy evening. A written schedule also helps your equipment supplier plan when the gear can be delivered and installed.
Entertainment equipment for December is usually booked before the menu is settled. If you already know you want a photo format at the party, it makes sense to confirm it right after the venue.
You can add extras to the photo zone: a sequin “living backdrop” costs 150 € as an add-on, while other backdrops and props are chosen to match the party theme. For inspiration, see which Christmas party themes actually work and how to build a photo zone that does not look cheap.
A good host is often booked for December earlier than the venue, because one person can only be in one place on a given evening. At PicMe, evenings are run by host and DJ Ersto Põlluaas, who covers both the hosting and the music — which saves both budget and coordination.
The programme itself can be put together later, but the person has to be locked in immediately. The same goes for bar service: a separate bar with its own bartender is also a date-based resource.
If the December Fridays are gone, it does not mean the party is off. Work with the alternatives:
For the rest of the preparation, our company Christmas party organiser’s checklist covers the catering deadlines and the invitation schedule as well.
Once the date and the equipment are agreed, the next step is the programme of the evening itself: the Christmas party timeline and when to open the photo zone shows where it fits between the blocks.
Want to know what equipment is still free on your date? Send us an enquiry with the date, the city and the number of guests, and we will reply with the available gear and a quote. Get in touch with PicMe and put your Christmas party equipment on the calendar today.
