Charity advent calendar: 24 days of giving in Belgium

A charity advent calendar in Belgium: 24 days, a story or a goal each day on your donation page, with no daily prizes and no raffle.

In short A charity advent calendar is a donation page that shows a story or a concrete goal every day from 1 to 24 December. You prepare 24 messages in advance, share them day after day and promise no daily prizes. Here is how to build it, with the Belgian rules you need to check.

This article describes the rules in Belgium.

The idea: 24 days, 24 reasons to give

Every day of December, your nonprofit (an ASBL, the French name for a Belgian nonprofit association, in Dutch a vzw) shows something concrete: a hot meal, a ride for a beneficiary, play equipment, a volunteer's testimony. The donor opens a "door" and can give to that exact goal.

The calendar does not rely on chance. It relies on curiosity and on the daily appointment, which brings your supporters back to the same donation page.

Why this format suits a small nonprofit

A classic Christmas campaign puts everything on one Saturday or one evening. The calendar spreads attention over 24 days, which suits small teams: you write ahead, then publish, without organising a physical event.

  • It mostly needs text and a few photos, no hall and no stall.
  • It gives you 24 chances to talk about your work instead of one.
  • It works for a team of 2 to 5 people.

To compare other formats, read our Christmas campaign ideas for an association in Belgium.

Building your 24 doors

Start by listing your real needs, then sort them into three families: goals with figures, stories about people and a look behind the scenes at the association. Alternate the three so the rhythm stays lively.

  1. Choose one overall goal for December and a target amount.
  2. Write 24 short texts of 60 to 100 words, each with a photo.
  3. Attach a simple goal to each door, for example "€30 for a week of hot meals", but only if the figure is exact.
  4. Plan a final door on 24 December to say thank you and announce the total.

Never publish a child's face without the parents' written consent. If you are unsure about personal data, ask the Data Protection Authority (Autorité de protection des données).

Content examples by week

This plan is only an outline. Adapt it to your mission and to your communication channels.

  • Week 1 (1 to 7 December): introduce the team, the project and the first goal.
  • Week 2 (8 to 14 December): give the floor to a volunteer and to a beneficiary.
  • Week 3 (15 to 21 December): show an ordinary day on your premises, with verified figures.
  • Week 4 (22 to 24 December): restate the goal, say thank you and open the last door.

Keep one door free to react to the news or to an exceptional gift. A calendar that is too rigid sounds false.

Planning: six weeks before 1 December

Six weeks are enough for a small team. Start in late October: set the goal, write the texts, gather the photos, then test the donation page on a phone before launch.

  • Weeks 1 and 2: goal, amounts and the list of 24 topics.
  • Weeks 3 and 4: writing the texts and visuals.
  • Week 5: proofreading by a second team member and a test of the page.
  • Week 6: announcement to your supporters, before the first door opens.

If you start later, scale back: a well-prepared 12-day calendar beats 24 sloppy days.

No daily prizes without raffle rules

It is tempting to give away a prize every day. That is a lottery, and in Belgium it falls under the law of 31 December 1851: it is not a mere creative choice. Without the rules, do not offer it.

A raffle without a licence is still tightly limited: an association recognised by the municipal executive (collège communal), at most four times a year, €5 per lot, no more than 1,000 lots, prizes in kind up to €500 and at least 70% of the proceeds for the social purpose. For online sales, the National Lottery (Loterie Nationale) requires a separate authorisation, to be requested at least 13 weeks before the announcement.

Our guide to the Christmas raffle and lottery covers these cases. A calendar without prizes avoids all of this and is what we recommend.

Tax certificate and year end

For your donors, a gift made in December counts for the current year if it is paid before 31 December. That deadline is deduced from the annual rule and is not stated on an official page: confirm it with the SPF Finances (the Belgian federal finance ministry).

The SPF Finances states a 30% tax reduction for gifts made since 1 January 2025, from €40 per year and per institution. Only approved institutions, or those named in the law, can issue the tax certificate. No certificate is possible for a collective collection or for a gift with something in return.

So never promise the deduction if your ASBL is not approved. The national register number is only requested to issue the certificate.

Accompanying emails and consent

A calendar works better with an email reminder, but sending to your donors follows data protection law. For a fundraising email, start from prior consent, with an unsubscribe option in every message.

The right to object to direct marketing is unconditional. For a template, see our Christmas email examples for donors.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

WeGlow.world gives you a donation page in three steps (amount, personal details, summary), for a one-off or monthly gift, easy to read on a phone. You can write your thank you text there, and your supporters can start their own action page.

To give your calendar a shape, our Christmas experiences are still a concept until the official launch. The Starry Sky turns every gift into a star and lets you fly from star to star: a natural image for 24 days. The Card Wall hangs envelopes on a string, each card being a postage stamp. Discover the Starry Sky and the Card Wall.

To get started, the guide on organising a Christmas campaign in Belgium and the one on the online Christmas campaign complete this plan. You can start for free with an account.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need 24 truly different stories?

No. Mix stories, goals and behind the scenes. One photo and three sentences are enough for a door, as long as they are true.

Can I give away a small prize every day?

Only if you follow the Belgian raffle rules. Without that, avoid prizes and keep the formula free of chance.

Will my donors get a tax deduction?

Only if your ASBL is approved, for €40 or more per year and per institution, for a 30% reduction. Otherwise, do not promise it.

When should I launch it?

On 1 December, after about six weeks of preparation. If you are behind, shorten the calendar rather than publishing in a rush.

Can I run a street collection alongside it?

That needs the municipality's agreement. For a door-to-door collection, authorisation from the municipal executive is required. Ask your municipality.

Sources

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