Hello everyone. I personally raise my rates during the holidays because of supply and demand but here is my question: How do guys feel about shows ON the holiday? I just got a call for a booking on New Years Eve and I feel that I should charge A LOT more than my regular holiday rates. There are many other professions who charge a ridiculous amount of money on holidays. How does everyone feel about this? I should mention that I also have another pending show ON Christmas day for a wealthy family...

I would love to hear how others handle this as far as rates go. Thanks in advance...

I always think it should be the same as any other worker gets on those days, which here in Australia has traditionally been double time and a half (two and a half times the normal rate).

Don't forget - it's not only a financial windfall for you.

You are sacrificing those special times with your loved ones. For this you are entitled to charge a ridiculous amount.

I also charge quite a lot more for performing on New Years Eve or what we call first night in our parts of the world. Their are so many large events going on and I usually can only do one of them so the demand is high and so I charge a much higher rate.

Kyle

Like Kyle, I charge a premium for the actual holiday. For example, I provide a service where Santa visits homes on Christmas Eve and Morning to deliver packages around the tree. The idea is that the parents pull the children out of bed to "sneak out and quietly watch Santa "in the act." I do a similar service on Easter Morning with the Easter Bunny. Because of the demand and the invasion into my own personal family time, I charge an ungodly (to me) amount for the service, Same for First Night...it's also MY New Year's...so it's worth the premium and I get it. It's a limited commodity as far as time goes...supply and demand dictates the rates...,not ethics or emotion.

Skip

My wife is angry with me every New Years eve, but my fee triples, there are people willing to pay, and I have been booked since July. I always get offered to work at Synagogues on Christmas day, but I do tricks for my grand children then, or else I will sleep on the couch for the rest of the year.
HAVE FUN
Al Angello

Hello all:

I have to agree. I work so much on other days/nights for shows and like many of you I end up missing (for example) a friend's birthday party, a night out with the family, etc. However, that is the business that we are in, right?---sometimes we have to take the work while we can get it!

So if I'm going to miss a specific (albeit OVERRATED!) night like New Year's and not be with my friends/family, I too will generally charge a more substantial rate. Money can't replace the "memories" that you may be missing that night, but I guess sometimes it can help a little, if you catch my drift. Just my thoughts!

Best regards,

Jason Palter
Paltergeist Unlimited
(416) 410-5766

Agree!

When you're on your deathbed, will you regret more that you didn't get that one Christmas Day show, or that you were not there for that special family "work doesn't intrude" time?? Bad enough I'm gone most of many weekends. I don't even like Christmas that much, but my family does, and values my presence.

Same with Thanksgiving. No. Just no.

New Year's Eve I'm gonna charge GOLD because (a) the crowds are super annoying and the guy with the check is the most annoying of the lot, (b) I'll be lucky to drive there and back alive through all the drunks on the road, (c) everybody else is charging plenty that evening, I don't want to be the 'cheap magician' for countless reasons, and (d) oh, yeah ... it's a holiday.

Major 'party' holidays (Halloween, 4th of July) I'll see what I can get. Usually I'm just happy with the increased number of bookings around those days.

Purim, Saint Swithin's Day, Arbor Day, Alfred E. Newman's Birthday ... regular rates.

My goal is to charge a ridiculous amount for all my gigs... it's just that the only time I get away with it is on New Years Eve.

Hope that helps

peter

I don't charge more for shows during December. However, I have turned down offers to do shows on Christmas Day. I do find that during December more customers spend more for deluxe packages and upsells. And of course, I do lots more shows that month anyways.

Last year, and again this year, I will be working for a customer on New Year's Eve. I am not charging them an extra fee, however they did book a mega-deluxe package, and because it is out of town, I am also being given accomodations and travel fee.

My New Year's Eve gig runs from 6:00-9:00. I count down to "Midnight" at 9:00, and we celebrate it then for the children, complete with me using my confetti cannon for indoor "fireworks".

Last year, I was back resting in my room by Midnight, to celebrate the "real" New Year's.

I had a fun time, and know that the audience did as well.

I guess I don't look at New Year's Eve as a holiday (that I want off), although I look at Christmas Day as a holiday (that I want off). When I want a day off, I don't charge more. I just don't book any shows on that day. Plain and simple.

- Donald

I have worked the last 5 new years eve for the same place.... 3 grand a night! You bethcya I'll work!

Great comments guys!!!!

It's simple supply and demand. Those that don't wanna work on these holidays for family reasons lower the supply and up the ante for those of us who are more Scrooge than Cratchett. So, while everyone else is running around in January, my lovely and I can vanish for a two week southern cruise on my holiday plunderings and create our own holiday. It's all in the mindset, guys.

Skip

I charge a lot of money in december because people want my magic. I charge $1500 for 2 hours of close up. How does this compare with my frineds in the US?

I not only charge lots more for the busy season, but I give January discounts. The law of supply and demand is what I respond to. I have weekday prices, weekend prices, nursing home prices, senior citizen center prices, large corporation prices, large gathering prices, small at home prices, library prices, rude people prices, and if I feel like giving it away I can do that too. I am the boss, and I only answer to my wife.
Al Angello

What's your price for a large gathering of rude senior citizens in a library?


THAT might present problems for some of us.

Good one
Al

In some ways, I can understand charging more because of a themed holiday show (specialized), and that could be a reason you charge more in December.

However, for me, I just can't justify charging more just because it's the holidays. I also have a problem if others charge me more for their services or products during the holidays (although not really sure what other examples people are referring to).

Unless we are comparing apples and oranges. Are people actually talking about doing shows on New Year's Day (January 1 - the holiday) and Christmas Day (December 25 - the holiday)? Or are you talking about any dates in December / November leading up to Christmas, for various company Christmas parties, etc?

I guess I live by the golden rule. I treat others as I'd like to be treated. And it mostly seems to work. I can't see gouging others just because "you can" (supply and demand). That's just not how friends treat friends.

Hard question - do you try to treat your customers like your friends, and build relationships with them? What if they heard that you charged other (regular) rates at other times of the year, but charge a premium fee in December "because you can get away with it"?

Like I said, I just book more deluxe shows and upsells, and still make a decent amount of money.

Just a different perspective, I guess.

- Donald

Donald
All those other factors aside. I only have one show, which contains my absolute best material, and I upgrade my tricks all the time. The $100 senior citizens center show is the exact same show as the $1,000 fortune 500 auditorium show. To me every show is a delux show. I was a full time entertainer before I joined the magic Café, I joined the Café to become the best magician I could be, not just more sucessful.
Al Angello

Hi Donald,

I don't think it's a question of gouging (as applied to specific dates - not just times of the year).

Not sure about the situation in Canada, but here in Australia, everyone else is paid higher rates for the inconvenience of working those days. I imagine the theory is that they are giving up their time so others can celebrate. If everyone else is paid higher - why should entertainers miss out?

Taxis here charge a surcharge on public holidays as do many restaurants. Night clubs charge higher entry fees, and sometimes drink prices.

Having been an entertainer for 30 years I've long lost any sentimental attachment to particular days and dates - I would have starved if I'd not worked weekends and holidays.

Many people do however attach importance to celebrating certain dates. For me, New Years is just another day (albeit one with few services available) but for some people it is celebrated as the start of a new chapter in their life etc. Likewise Christmas, for either religious or family reasons. Those who forgo these times do deserve something in compensation.

Holiday shows also usually require some customising. I suspect very few of us do just our regular performance at Christmas - this all costs money in devising, rehearsing, costuming and props.

As for just whacking up the price because of the time of year - in Australia you would no longer be called an entertainer - you'd be called an oil company.

Triple the price on NYE and I don't work Christmas Eve or Day. Anything else is my usual fee.