So the first bit of advice is the simplest. Get in touch early. Tell us the date, what kind of party it is and how many children, and we'll come back with who's free.
Book early, especially for weekends
The last two Saturdays before Christmas go first, every year. If your date is fixed, ask us in the autumn if you can. If it's flexible, a weekday afternoon or a date in early December is much easier to get.
Schools and nurseries often have more freedom here because their parties are in the daytime during the week. That's a real advantage. Daytime weekday slots in December are far less fought over than Saturday afternoons.
School and nursery Christmas parties
A school Christmas party usually means a hall, a lot of children and a fixed slot between lunch and home time. Entertainers who do schools are used to that. They'll set up quickly, work with big groups and finish on time so the buses aren't held up.
For a nursery or preschool, a gentler and shorter show works better. Songs, puppets and a bit of festive magic, without anything too loud. Our page on toddler party entertainers explains more about pitching shows for the very young.
Clubs, groups and work family parties
Sports clubs, uniformed groups and companies often hold a children's Christmas party for members' families. These tend to have a wide age range, from babies to older siblings, plus parents watching from the back with a mince pie.
Let us know the rough spread of ages and numbers, and whether the hall has a stage. An entertainer can then plan games that work for everyone and a show that the grown-ups will enjoy too.
With very mixed ages, it's often best to split the time. Games for the younger ones first, then a show everyone can sit down for together. Older children can be given jobs, like helping with the music or being the magician's assistant.
Family Christmas gatherings
If all the cousins are coming over in the days around Christmas, an entertainer for an hour can be a lifesaver. The kids get a show, the adults get a cup of tea in peace, and nobody's arguing over the remote.
Dates right around Christmas itself can be harder to fill, as entertainers have families too. Ask us anyway. For a gathering with lots of adults as well as children, have a look at our family party entertainer page.
Getting the room ready
A Christmas party hall can get crowded quickly with a tree, a present table, a buffet and a grotto all fighting for space. Leave a clear area at one end for the entertainer and the children to sit in front, away from the tree if you can. Excited children and baubles are not a great mix.
Tell us if there's a stage, and whether there's a sound system the entertainer can plug into. In a big school or club hall, it can help the children at the back hear properly. It's also worth checking how early you can get into the hall, because December bookings at venues are often back to back.
What makes it feel festive
Most entertainers have Christmas versions of their games and some seasonal magic in their show. Think snowflakes, presents that appear from nowhere and a few groan-worthy cracker jokes. Some will happily hand out presents you've bought, if you ask in advance.
If you're planning a visit from Father Christmas, tell us. The entertainer can work the timings around it so the big arrival lands at the right moment, rather than in the middle of musical statues.