Christmas appeal at work: team up for a good cause

How to run a Christmas appeal at work in Belgium: formats, a six-week plan, the rules to check and a simple donation page for your colleagues.

In short A Christmas appeal at work succeeds when it stays simple: one lead, one format, one partner charity and a numeric goal. Plan six weeks, check the rules with the charity (tax certificate, raffle, municipal permit) and send your whole team a single donation link.

This article describes the rules in Belgium.

Your team wants to do something concrete before the holidays, without spending three months on it. That is possible: a small company or a large service team can run a successful Christmas appeal in six weeks, if it chooses its format and its charity well.

Why a Christmas appeal at work works

At work everybody meets every day, which makes mobilising easier. A short appeal with a clear end date motivates more than a permanent call for generosity. It also strengthens the team around a shared project.

The starting point is not the budget but the desire: ask your colleagues which cause speaks to them. A local charity the team already knows gives meaning straight away. You can also draw on our Christmas appeal ideas for a charity in Belgium.

Five formats that work in a company

Choose a single format, suited to the size of the team and the time available. Here are five proven options for a workplace, from the simplest to the most ambitious.

  • The online donation: a link shared by email and on the intranet, with a goal in euros.
  • The charity advent calendar: a small challenge or a free donation every day for 24 days.
  • The internal Christmas market: colleagues sell homemade creations, and the proceeds go to the charity.
  • Charity greeting cards: the company replaces its paper cards with a donation in the name of its clients.
  • The sporting or cooking challenge between departments, with sponsors backing each team.

For a Christmas market open to the public, first read our guide to the charity Christmas market in Belgium.

A realistic six-week schedule

A backward schedule stops the momentum from fading before the end. This split suits a team of ten to fifty people, with a small group of three to five volunteers carrying the project.

  • Week 1: choose the charity, the format, the goal and the closing date.
  • Week 2: contact the charity, check the rules and get management's approval.
  • Week 3: create the donation page and write the launch message.
  • Week 4: launch the appeal at a team meeting, then by email.
  • Week 5: remind, share progress, encourage the departments to compete.
  • Week 6: last reminder, close by 31 December at the latest, say thank you.

For the week-by-week detail, our guide to organising a Christmas appeal in Belgium covers each step.

The rules to check with the charity

A company that collects for a charity is not the charity. Before promising anything, check three points with it, in writing if possible: the tax benefit, any permits and the handling of personal data.

On tax, the tax reduction for gifts from individuals is 30% since 1 January 2025, from €40 per year and per institution. It requires an approved charity and a personal, final gift with nothing received in return. A collective collection does not give a right to the certificate: if the benefit matters to your colleagues, each person must give individually. For the tax treatment of a gift made by the company itself, ask the FPS Finance or your accountant: do not take it for granted.

For a raffle between colleagues, the limits without a permit are strict: tickets of €5 at most, 1,000 tickets at most, prizes in kind worth €500 at most, and at least 70% of the takings for the cause. They apply to a charity recognised by the municipal executive (collège communal). If in doubt, ask your municipality. Avoid selling tickets online, which falls under a different authorisation from the National Lottery.

For emails, do not assume an existing relationship: the Data Protection Authority reminds us that the right to object to direct marketing is unconditional. Write to colleagues who agree, with a way to unsubscribe.

Framing the company's involvement

Decide in week 1 what the company contributes: working time for the volunteers, a room, a communication budget or a matching donation. A match of €1 for every euro collected, capped at an amount set in advance, often encourages colleagues.

State the cap and the rule clearly. To find out whether such a match has a particular tax treatment, ask your accountant.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

On WeGlow.world the donation page is created in three steps: amount, details, summary. It accepts one-time and monthly donations, each with its own amounts, and works on a phone, which matters when colleagues give from the corridor or the depot.

Each department can also start its own fundraising page for the campaign, creating healthy rivalry between teams. You can write a thank you text that goes out after every donation. If the charity is approved, it sends tax certificates to eligible donors in one click, with no automatic sending.

Four Christmas experiences are in preparation and remain concepts until the official launch. In the Glow Room, every donation becomes a decoration on the tree of a 3D living room, ideal to project in the break room. On the Card Wall, every card is a stamp on an envelope hanging from a string. Discover everything on the Christmas appeals page, then create your account: WeGlow.world is free to start, but you need an account first. To go further, you can also read our guide to the online Christmas appeal and digital experiences.

Communicating and saying thank you

Launch the appeal at a team meeting: a five-minute presentation of the charity is worth more than a long email. Then give a single link, repeat it every week and show progress towards the goal, for example every Friday.

At the end, say thank you within 48 hours: a message from management, the total amount and what it will allow the charity to do. If possible, invite a representative of the charity for a short testimonial.

FAQ

Here are the five questions Belgian teams ask most often before launching a Christmas appeal at work.

How do you choose the partner charity?

Propose two or three charities to your colleagues and hold a vote. Then contact the chosen charity and ask whether it is approved for tax certificates and whether it has particular needs for Christmas.

Do colleagues get a tax reduction?

Yes, if they give personally to an approved charity, from €40 per year and per institution, at the rate of 30%. A collective collection does not give a right to the certificate. For a gift from the company, ask the FPS Finance.

Do you need management's approval?

Yes, it is preferable. Ask for it in week 1, with the format, the schedule and what the company contributes: working time, a room, communication or a matching donation. A written agreement avoids misunderstandings later.

Can you run a raffle at the office?

Yes, within the limits described above, by a charity recognised by the municipality. Beyond them, or to sell tickets online, a permit is needed. Ask your municipality or the National Lottery for advice before selling a single ticket.

When should you close the appeal?

By 31 December at the latest, because a gift counts for the year in which it is paid. This rule follows from the calendar-year principle: confirm the point with the FPS Finance if the tax benefit matters to your team.

Sources

Official sources, checked on 9 October 2026:

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