It’s the time of year when we all feel like celebrating.

Yes, many of Calgary’s most popular restaurants and bars are packed with people partaking in fantastic parties, the likes of which haven’t been seen since William and Kate came for a visit. But whether big or small, all parties have one thing in common: it’s pretty much a guarantee that a cab won’t be waiting for any of us outside.

In a city of more than a million people, you would think that there would be an abundance of taxis, but during this busy time of year of shopping and celebrating, there never seem to be any. On any given night, my Facebook and Twitter feeds are polluted with people lamenting their struggles of trying to get back home after a night out. 

So where are all the big yellow taxis? Well, I suspect the suburbs. It seems the holiday season is one of the few times a year that those who live in our city’s extremities like to go out. And when it comes to closing time, the residences of neighbourhoods like Bridlewood or Royal Oak always seem to be the first ones to take your cab and magically make them disappear for at least an hour. 

Not that it’s necessarily their fault. With the C-Trains closing before the bars do, what else are they supposed to do? I mean, my apartment has only so many couches on which those of my friends who choose to live by man-made lakes can sleep it off.

If during the busy holiday season the C-Trains were allowed to stay open longer, as they do during Stampede, the suburbanites wouldn’t be forced to take the precious few cabs on trips long enough that they could easily be mistaken for road trips. 

Having been a victim of this city’s lack of cabs more times than I can count, I’ve come up with some ways of being able to snag one of those coveted yellow taxis without having to hang out with the dreaded designated driver.  

When in doubt, always go to a hotel. You get to stay warm inside while someone else gets the cab for you. You could also decide to leave a little bit before the bar closes, because – let’s be honest – if you haven’t met someone by 1:30 a.m., another half hour won’t make a difference.

Whatever you do, just make sure you get home safe. Or find out where I live, I have incredibly soft carpet.