Episode Overview

Podcast: Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada
Episode: 689 – "5 Holiday Event Ideas Every Real Estate Agent Should Steal"
Date: October 19, 2025
Host: Tristan Ahumada

In this concise, idea-packed episode, Tristan Ahumada shares five creative and actionable holiday event strategies tailored for real estate professionals looking to deepen community ties and generate business during the bustling months of November and December. Each idea is practical, scalable for different budgets and team sizes, and intentionally designed to drive authentic engagement with past clients, neighbors, and spheres of influence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[00:18] The Power of Holiday Events

• Tristan underscores November and December as golden opportunities for real estate agents to connect with their communities and databases:
  • “There’s plenty of time right now to continue to plan, so you can get going. You only need three weeks to get this.” (00:16)

[01:10] Event Idea #1 – Holiday Photos & Cocoa Day

• Concept: A relaxed, scalable event for clients and neighbors at a park, office, or coffee shop. Partner with a local photographer for free family photos and offer cocoa or cider.
• Execution Tips:
  • Book a local spot, ideally during their slowest hours for win-win partnership.
  • Capture attendees’ emails for your newsletter.
  • Follow up with a thank you note and their photo.
  • Anticipate larger turnouts: “If you had like 200 people show up, you better have help, right, because that’s not gonna be easy.” (03:10)
• Quote:
  • “It could even be a coffee place if they serve cocoa or tea…for everyone that comes here, I’m going to buy them a cup of cocoa.” (01:50)

[03:35] Event Idea #2 – Give Back Day or Food Drive

• Concept: Partner with a local charity or food bank for a ‘Fill the Truck’ event, collecting canned goods or toys.
• Community Leadership: Demonstrates social responsibility and roots you as a leader in your area.
• Personal Note:
  • “We did a food drive before and we’ve done a give back day as a brokerage…You become a core component to the community because you’re giving back.” (03:55)
• Tip: Use ChatGPT to outline and plan logistics for maximum impact.
• Quote:
  • “If you want to do either, or give back day or food drive, like a toy drive, I would start with ChatGPT and have it outline it for you and give you a step by step process.” (04:30)

[04:45] Event Idea #3 – Friendsgiving at the Park

• Concept: An outdoor, potluck-style picnic pre-Thanksgiving, with light games and personal touches.
• Personal Experience:
  • “We did it at our brokerage…only about 45 people, but it was so intimate and great.” (05:40)
  • Best timing: not Thanksgiving week, but 1–2 weeks prior.
• Focuses on human connections, fostering authentic community bonds outside traditional sales channels.

[06:15] Event Idea #4 – Pictures with Santa Event

• Concept: A simple, high-demand Santa photo-op for kids and families, held over a three-hour block (ideal: Saturday mornings).
• Execution: Partner with a photographer for free shots, upsell additional prints. Involve team and family as elves for added fun.
• Business Expansion: Tristan considers rolling out these events across multiple brokerage locations.
• Quote:
  • “Really everyone comes down to just talk to Santa. So we get in and out. People don’t have to spend a long time doing everything else.” (06:30)
  • “The best one was the weekend and it was morning time. Saturday. Saturday from 10, 11, 12. One — actually, I did it for three hours. Saturday from 10 to 1 was amazing.” (07:20)

[08:00] Event Idea #5 – Client Appreciation Movie Night or Open House Party

• Movie Night:
  • Rent a local theater, gift tickets, provide popcorn. The venue handles setup/clean up, and they benefit from concession sales.
  • Quote: “It’s all taken care of by the theater. That’s a cool one.” (08:08)
• Open House Party:
  • Host in a luxury or standard home, with a holiday twist: cocoa bar, cookie decorating.
  • “You could even do the open house party without the open house. You could just have a cocoa bar and cookie decorating. Going back to number one.” (08:55)
• Both options foster memorable, low-pressure client appreciation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Simplicity matters:
  • “They don’t have to be big. I’ve got some here that are bigger, some that are small… just blow it out of the park.” (00:22)
• On serving your community:
  • “You become a core component to the community because you’re giving back. This is a powerful one, but I want you to plan this one.” (04:06)
• On personalizing events:
  • “People are so relaxed. We didn’t have a big one… but it was so intimate and great.” (05:42)
• Follow up is key:
  • “Make sure to follow up with digital copies and a thank you message.” (07:06)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:18 – Setting the stage: Why holiday events work for real estate
• 01:10 – Idea #1: Holiday Photos & Cocoa Day – how to plan and execute
• 03:35 – Idea #2: Give Back Day/Food Drive – lessons & local impact
• 04:45 – Idea #3: Friendsgiving at the Park – fostering deeper connections
• 06:15 – Idea #4: Pictures with Santa – logistics and branding tips
• 08:00 – Idea #5: Movie Night/Open House Party – two powerful appreciation pathways

Episode Tone & Takeaway

Tristan’s delivery remains upbeat, approachable, and encouragement-focused throughout, emphasizing that powerful community connection doesn’t require huge budgets or big productions — just intention and thoughtful planning. The episode is a toolbox of ideas, sprinkled with personal anecdotes and actionable follow-ups, perfect for motivated agents eager to wrap up their year with energy and warmth.