Advent calendar for your association in Germany

An advent calendar for your association: 24 doors with stories and goals, schedule, donation page and the rules on donation receipts and raffles.

In short An advent calendar for your association spreads a fundraiser over 24 days: each day you open a door with a story, a partial goal or a thank you. That keeps your association visible all December. Prizes or daily winnings are legally tricky, so this calendar relies on stories instead of raffle tickets.

This article describes the rules in Germany.

An advent calendar suits associations (Vereine) because it starts small and gives you a reason to spread the word every day. This article shows how to plan 24 doors, prepare the donation page and observe the rules. It is orientation, not legal advice.

What is a donation advent calendar for an association?

A digital calendar with 24 doors, from 1 to 24 December. Behind each door is a story, a partial goal or a thank you, and every door leads to the same donation page.

The appeal lies in the rhythm: supporters come back daily because they want to know what is behind today's door. Unlike a one-off action, the work is spread across many small posts. You will find more ideas in the article Christmas action ideas for the association.

Why stories instead of daily prizes?

A prize a day would not be a donation but a raffle. Raffles require a permit in Germany, and the rules are made by the federal states (Bundesländer). A calendar with stories avoids that hurdle.

Anyone who runs a public lottery or draw without permission commits a criminal offence under § 287 StGB (the German criminal code). In addition, the three general permits we read (Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen) prohibit selling tickets over the internet. A raffle via a donation page is therefore not a standard option. You can read the details in the article Raffle for the Christmas action: rules.

If you still plan prizes, first ask the responsible gambling authority of your federal state.

The 24 doors: content that carries

Mix four kinds of doors so the calendar stays varied. That way you never feel you are writing the same thing every day.

  • Stories: a person or project your association supports, in 80 to 120 words.
  • Partial goals: "Today €25 for a warm meal" as a concrete amount.
  • Insights: a photo from everyday association life, a voice from the team.
  • Thanks: a door for donors, volunteers and supporters.

Plan the doors 3 to 4 weeks ahead, so that at least the first 7 are ready on 1 December. Choose an overall goal and visibly divide it into 24 steps.

Schedule: how to start in time

Count back from 1 December. With 5 to 10 people on the team, 6 weeks are enough if responsibilities are clear early. You will find the detailed plan in the article Planning a Christmas action: the schedule.

  • From mid-October: set the goal, team and roles.
  • Early November: collect texts and photos for the first doors.
  • Mid-November: build the donation page and test it on a phone.
  • Late November: announce it to members and supporters.

How to do it with WeGlow.world: donation page and own action pages

The donation page is the heart of the calendar. With WeGlow.world you set it up in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. One-off and monthly gifts are possible, each with its own amounts and labels such as "A warm meal".

The page works on a smartphone. First name and email are asked for; donors can also give anonymously. Set a thank-you text, and a thank-you email goes out after a gift. You can start free with an account at sign up for WeGlow.world.

Supporters can also start their own action page for your campaign. Ask 5 to 10 people to each "adopt" one door and share it in their own circle. That spreads the work and the reach.

Digital Christmas experiences as a stage for your calendar

WeGlow.world is working on four digital Christmas experiences. They are a concept until the official launch, and we say so honestly. Two fit an advent calendar especially well.

In the Starry Sky experience, every donation becomes a star and you fly from star to star. In the Glow Room, every donation becomes a decoration on the Christmas tree of a 3D living room. Both show the growing calendar in a way people like to share. More in the article Online Christmas action with a digital experience.

Zuwendungsbestätigung (donation receipt): what is confirmed

Donors look for the "Spendenquittung", which the law calls a Zuwendungsbestätigung. Donations to non-profit bodies (gemeinnützige Körperschaften) are deductible as special expenses under § 10b EStG (the German income tax act), up to 20% of total income. The calendar year of payment decides, so by 31 December at the latest.

  • The officially prescribed template of the Bundesfinanzministerium (federal ministry of finance) applies.
  • You may issue the receipt only with a Freistellungsbescheid (exemption notice) not older than 5 years, or with a determination dating back at most 3 calendar years.
  • Up to €300, a bank statement suffices for the donor under conditions (§ 50 para. 4 EStDV).
  • Incorrect receipts lead to liability: the tax is calculated at 30% of the donated amount.

Not confirmed, so not a fact: the exact wording for the donation page, details on the collective receipt and electronic dispatch. Ask your Finanzamt (tax office) or your tax adviser about these.

Mailings and data protection

If you remind your supporters of the calendar daily or weekly, you need their consent. Advertising by email without prior explicit consent is an unreasonable nuisance under § 7 UWG (the unfair competition act).

The German supervisory authorities call double opt-in the procedure for electronic consent "required". Whether the exception in § 7 para. 3 UWG applies to donors is not confirmed; so assume consent is needed. The data protection authority of your federal state is responsible. You will find templates in the article Christmas email to donors.

Legal notice and cookies on the donation page

Show a complete Impressum (the mandatory legal notice) on the donation page, which is the safe rule. § 5 DDG requires a name, an address, a fast electronic way to make contact and, for legal entities, authorised representatives and register details.

If you use trackers or analytics, § 25 TDDDG requires consent unless they are technically necessary. Whether the obligation applies to a free donation page of an association is not confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

The five questions associations ask most often about the advent calendar.

May I raffle something every day?

That is not recommended. A raffle requires a permit, the rules differ by federal state, and the three general permits we read prohibit selling tickets on the internet. Ask the authority of your federal state first.

How much money should I set as a goal per day?

There is no number that fits everyone. Divide your overall goal by 24 and round to an amount you can explain in one sentence, such as €25 for a warm meal.

Can I run the calendar without a website?

Yes, with a donation page and one post a day in your channels. You do not need your own website. What matters is that every door leads to the same donation page.

Who may issue a Zuwendungsbestätigung?

An association with a valid Freistellungsbescheid not older than 5 years, or with a determination dating back at most 3 calendar years. The template is prescribed by the Bundesfinanzministerium.

Do I need a permit for the calendar?

For a purely online calendar with a donation page, we know of no collection permit. Anyone collecting in public still needs a permit in Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia and Saarland, in most other states no longer. If in doubt, ask your municipality.

Sources

All sources were checked on 9 October 2026. This article does not replace legal advice.

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