Deck the Halls and Duck the In-Laws: Comedy in the Holiday Season!

Ah, yes… the holiday season. The time of year when America collectively pretends we love being cold, family is “fun,” and wrapping paper isn’t a psychological warfare device.

For comedians, this season hits different. While everyone else is sipping peppermint lattes and wondering if Mariah Carey owns the month of December (she does), we’re out here doing shows in rooms decorated like an Elf threw up in the dark.

Holiday crowds are their own species

You can feel the difference the second you step on stage in December. Half the audience is hammered from their work party. The other half got dragged there by the hammered half. And at least one person is wearing a sweater that lights up — which is great, because I need the additional stage lighting.

It’s the only time of year you can tell a joke that kills, watch a guy laugh so hard eggnog comes out his nose, and genuinely feel like you should get hazard pay.

December is the Super Bowl of being relatable

Comedy gold is everywhere during the holidays. For example:

• The moment someone brings up politics at dinner and the entire family inhales like they’re prepping for a tornado drill.

• Trying to put together a kid’s toy without swearing, even though the instructions are clearly written by Satan.

• That one aunt who gives you the same “So… how’s that comedy thing going?” speech every single year, even though she’s seen you on a poster.

  
  

The material literally writes itself — mostly because if we don’t laugh about it, we’ll cry in a Walmart parking lot.

Performing in December: A whole vibe

There’s a special kind of chaos doing comedy this time of year. Holiday shows are either the best sets of your life… or an emotional hostage situation. There’s no middle ground.

You either crush so hard you feel like the Ghost of Christmas Confidence…

or...

you bomb so badly, you start reconsidering all your life choices, starting with “Why did I wear a sweater on a stage with 700-degree lights?”

But one thing is true: December crowds want to have fun. People need a break from stress, family, travel, work, and pretending to enjoy fruitcake. Comedy becomes a pressure valve, a weird little oasis where everyone gets to exhale for an hour.

So here’s my holiday message to you

If you come to a show this month:

Thank you. You’re the reason I get to do what I love, even when the world smells like pine and seasonal depression.

If you’re staying home:

I hope your holidays are full of joy, chaos, and at least one drunk relative who gifts you new jokes for next year.

If you’re a comedian reading this:

Good luck, my brothers and sisters. May your crowds be warm, your checks clear, and your holiday hecklers be easily defeated.

Happy Holidays, and Merry Laughmas!!