Holiday Hair, Booked: Why Your December Appointment Should Already Be on the Calendar
It feels early. It isn’t. The office party, Thanksgiving, the family photos, New Year’s Eve — they’re all closer than they look, and they all land in the same few weeks. Every year, the same thing happens across our 21 salons: the first two weeks of December book solid, and the guests who waited end up scrambling for whatever’s left.
So here’s the friendly nudge to get your holiday hair appointment on the calendar now, while you still have your pick of day, time, and stylist. Here’s what to book, when to book it, and how to time it so you walk into every event looking like you just left the chair.
Why December Fills Faster Than Any Other Month
Two things collide in December. First, demand spikes — everyone wants to look their best for the same cluster of parties, dinners, and photos. Second, the supply of good appointment times actually shrinks, because of the holidays themselves: salons close for Christmas and New Year’s, which compresses weeks of demand into fewer working days.
The result is predictable. Evening slots, Saturdays, and the days immediately before each holiday are the first to go — often two to three weeks out. Color services feel the squeeze most, because they take time in the chair and often need to be planned around your event date.
What to Book Before the Holidays
Color, first and earliest
If your holidays involve photos — and they do — color is the thing to lock in first. Whether it’s a root retouch to cover the regrowth, a dimensional brunette for a richer winter look, or dimensional blonde to stay bright, these are the appointments that fill earliest and take the most planning. Explore the full color menu and book your service well ahead of your first event.
A gloss or shine treatment for photo-ready shine
Here’s the insider move. A shine enhancement is a roughly 30-minute gloss that refreshes your tone, knocks out any dullness or brassiness, and gives hair that glassy, catches-the-light finish that photographs beautifully. Booked a few days before a big event, it’s the smallest service with the biggest payoff on camera.
Your blowout — or a membership, if you’ve got a full calendar
For a single party, book your blowout as early as you can; party-night and weekend slots disappear fast. If you’ve got a string of events — and December has a way of stacking up — a Blowdry Membership at participating locations is the better value, with multiple professional blowouts built into each month.
Smoothing, if frizz is your December enemy
Indoor heat, hats, and dry winter air are hard on hair. If you want styling to go faster and hold better through the season, a keratin smoothing treatment is best booked early in the month so you’re set for every event after.
The Timing That Makes It All Work
Getting the appointment is half of it. Timing it right is the other half:
- Color: a few days to about a week before your event. Fresh color looks its best once it’s settled a day or two, and you’ll avoid the just-colored stiffness in your photos.
- Gloss or shine: within a few days of the event, for maximum shine when it counts.
- Blowout: the day of, or the day before. A professional blowout easily holds through an evening — and often into the next day.
- Keratin smoothing: earlier in the month, so it’s doing its job for every event that follows.
If you’re not sure how to sequence several services around several dates, that’s exactly what your stylist is for. Tell the front desk your event calendar when you book, and they’ll help you plan it.
Don’t Wait for the Scramble
Every December, the guests who book in late October and early November get the times they want with the stylist they love. The ones who wait until the week of get whatever’s left — if anything. It’s the one holiday to-do that’s genuinely easier the earlier you check it off.
Book your color, gloss, blowout, or smoothing appointment at any of our 21 Massachusetts locations, from Boston to the Cape, before the December rush. Find your nearest salon and reserve your time, or browse the full color menu to plan your look.
Holiday Hair FAQ
How early should I book my holiday hair appointment?
For December, book now — in late October or early November. The most popular times (evenings, the days right before major holidays, and Saturdays) fill first, and color services often need to be timed a week or two ahead of your event. The earlier you book, the better your choice of day, time, and stylist.
When should my color appointment be relative to my event?
A few days to about a week before is the sweet spot. Fresh color looks its best after it’s settled for a day or two, and a gloss or shine treatment right before gives you that just-left-the-salon shine for photos. Your colorist can help you plan the exact timing.
What if I just want a blowout for one party?
Book it as early as you can, because blowout slots on party nights and weekends go quickly in December. If you have several events, a Blowdry Membership at participating locations can be the better value, since it includes multiple professional blowouts each month.
Can I still get an appointment if I’ve waited until mid-December?
Often yes, but your options narrow quickly. Call your nearest salon as soon as you know your dates. If your first-choice time is gone, the front desk can usually suggest a nearby opening or a quicker service like a gloss or blowout to get you camera-ready.
