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When to Get Your Holiday Haircut (Before the Rush Hits)

Published October 26, 2026 · 3 min read

Every year around mid-November, the same thing happens at our shop on Victory Blvd. Guys start coming in saying some version of "I've got Thanksgiving at my in-laws" or "we're doing family photos before Christmas" — and they're all saying it at the same time. The week before Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas are genuinely two of the busiest stretches we see all year. If you've ever walked in during that window and sat longer than you expected, that's why.

The good news is it's completely avoidable. You just have to think about it a week or two earlier than feels natural.

The two windows that fill up fastest

Thanksgiving week is the first crunch. Most people are traveling or hosting Thursday and Friday, which means Monday through Wednesday before Thanksgiving turns into a sprint. Walk-in waits go up noticeably — especially Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. If you want to look sharp for the holiday without the stress, aim for the week before: somewhere around November 10–14 is ideal. Your hair will still look fresh by the time you're sitting at the table.

Christmas is the same pattern, compressed even tighter. Between office parties, family gatherings, and end-of-year events, a lot of guys need a haircut somewhere between December 15 and December 23. That stretch gets crowded fast. Getting in during the first week of December — say December 1–6 — sidesteps most of it. If your event is closer to New Year's, aim for December 22–23 before things fully close down for the holiday.

What to ask for when you're planning ahead

If you're coming in two weeks early, the main thing to think about is leaving a little length. A cut that's just slightly longer than you'd normally go will settle in and look exactly right by the time the event rolls around. If you go as short as usual, you risk that freshly-buzzed look on the actual day. Tell us when the event is and we can work backward with you — that's a pretty normal part of the consultation here.

For a lot of guys, this is also a good time to add on a hot steamed towel or a massaging shampoo. It takes maybe 10 extra minutes and it's a nice thing to do for yourself when you're not rushing. If you haven't tried the MVP Experience, the holidays are honestly a good excuse to.

Want to skip the guesswork entirely? Check in online before you head over — you can see current wait times from your phone and add yourself to the queue before you leave the house. Walk-ins are always welcome, but checking in ahead means you're not sitting and wondering.