Christmas party planner: find the date before December fills up
Every year it's the same. Someone says "we should do a Christmas thing". Forty messages later, half the group has said "I'm easy", two people can only do Thursdays and nobody's booked anything. Then it's January.
Whenabouts sorts out the bit that always stalls: the date. Make one plan, drop one link in the group chat, and everyone taps the evenings they're free. You'll see which night suits the most people. That's it.
Why Christmas dates are so hard to pin down
December is busy. Work dos, family visits, school plays, the one mate who's always "away that weekend". Asking "when's everyone free?" in WhatsApp gets you opinions, not answers. Scrolling back through the replies to work out who said what is a job nobody wants.
A date poll fixes that. Everyone's availability lands in one grid, and the winner is obvious.
How it works
- Create a plan. Give it a name ("Christmas do 🎄"), pick a date range (say 1–20 December) and choose evening, daytime or any time. You can also tick which days work: any day, weekdays, weekends or individual days.
- Share one link. Hit the WhatsApp button or copy the link anywhere else. Your friends tap the days they're free, or "maybe" if it depends on the in-laws. No account, no app, no sign-up. Invite as many friends as you like.
- Lock in the best date. Whenabouts tallies it up and highlights the date that works for the most people. Once you confirm, everyone who opens the link can add it to their calendar with "Add to Google Calendar" or a downloadable .ics file for Apple, Outlook and the rest.
Christmas with friends
The big sit-down do
The big one. Set the range to the first three weeks of December, choose evenings, and send it. Once you've got a date, book the table that day. Agreed but unbooked dates are the ones that slip. For the full booking checklist, see Christmas dinner with friends.
Drinks, Secret Santa and the "proper catch-up"
Not everything needs a three-course set menu. For drinks or a Secret Santa swap, use the "Which days work?" filter to stick to weekends, or tick just Fridays and Saturdays if that's your lot. Hosting at yours? The Friendsmas planner has ideas and hosting tips.
Can't decide what to do, never mind when?
Try Spin the Plan. Add a few ideas (bottomless brunch, the pub quiz, ice skating, Christmas market), spin the wheel to pick the activity, then lock in a date. It's daft, but it ends the "I don't mind, what do you fancy?" loop.
Work Christmas party scheduling
Organising the office do? Same idea, different crowd. Whenabouts works well for small teams and departments that want to pick a night everyone can make:
- No logins for colleagues. Nobody has to make an account or install anything, which matters when half the team will ignore anything that asks for one.
- No ads, no advertising cookies, no third-party trackers. Easier to send round the office.
- "Maybe" is allowed. Good for people with childcare or shifts to juggle.
- Calendar links at the end. Once you confirm, anyone who opens the plan link can add it to their calendar.
Be honest with yourself about what you need, though. Whenabouts compares days and evenings, not 30-minute slots. If you're booking a 2pm planning meeting with Outlook calendars synced, a meeting-scheduling tool is a better fit. For "which Thursday in December?", this is quicker. Landed with organising the whole thing? Our Christmas work do planner is the organiser's checklist, from budget to the morning after.
Tips for a Christmas do that actually happens
- Ask early. Early November beats mid-December. Venues fill up fast.
- Give a range, not a list. Let people mark everything they can do. You'll spot the overlap quicker.
- Don't chase the perfect date. If 9 of 10 can make the 12th, that's your date. Go.
- Book on the day you confirm. Then nudge everyone to reopen the link and add it to their calendar.
- Doing a big group? Pick the date first, then the venue. The other way round ends in tears.
Frequently asked questions
Is Whenabouts free?
Yes. It's free to create a plan, share the link, collect everyone's availability and lock in a date.
Do my friends or colleagues need to sign up?
No. There's no login and nothing to download. Anyone with the link can add their availability straight away.
Can people say "maybe"?
Yes. Everyone can mark days as free or "maybe", and you'll see who's which when you look at the results.
Can I use it for a work Christmas party?
Yes, if you're picking a day or evening. It's not built for booking exact meeting times or syncing work calendars.
How do people add the date to their calendar?
Once you confirm the date, anyone who opens the plan link sees an "Add to Google Calendar" button and a downloadable .ics file that works with Apple Calendar, Outlook and most others. Nothing is emailed, so give the group a nudge.
What if we can't agree what to do?
Use Spin the Plan. Add at least two ideas, spin the wheel for the activity, then lock in a date.