Charity Christmas cards, giving tree or carol concert?

Compare charity Christmas cards, a giving tree and a carol concert on preparation, cost and reach, plus the digital version with a Card Wall and Glow Room.

In short Charity Christmas cards, a giving tree and a carol concert suit different charities. Cards are the easiest to start, a giving tree needs the most care with names and gifts, and a carol concert reaches the most people on one night. Start 6 weeks ahead, check licences early, and add a donation page so everyone can give.

Which of the three should your charity choose?

All three are classic festive fundraising ideas, and none needs a large team. The right choice depends on your volunteers, your space and how far you want to reach. For the wider menu, see our Christmas fundraising ideas for UK charities.

How do the three formats compare?

We do not quote prices, because printing, venue and licence costs vary by supplier and by council. The ratings below are our own planning view, not market data.

  • Charity Christmas cards: preparation is light (design, print, a sales point), relative cost is low to medium because you pay for printing up front, and reach is wide if you sell online and through supporters.
  • Giving tree: preparation is the heaviest (tags, a host venue, a safe process for gifts), relative cost is low, and reach is local, limited to people who pass the tree.
  • Carol concert: preparation is medium to heavy (venue, singers, licences), relative cost is medium, and reach is high on one evening.

How do charity Christmas cards work?

Supporters buy cards in aid of your charity and send them to friends and family. You can design your own with a child's drawing, a photo from your work or a local artist's illustration. Packs of 10 are easy to price and easy to display on a stall.

  • Preparation: allow about 6 weeks for design and printing.
  • Cost: you pay for printing first, so start with a small run.
  • Reach: cards travel by post, so each one tells people beyond your supporters about your cause.
  • Gift Aid: money paid for a card is a payment for goods, so it does not qualify for Gift Aid. A separate, clearly optional extra donation can.

How does a giving tree work?

A giving tree stands in a shop, church, school or office. Tags hang from its branches, and each tag names a gift or a small need. Visitors take a tag and either buy the item or donate the amount shown. If tags relate to children, follow your safeguarding and data protection policies.

  • Preparation: the careful part is the tags. Keep them anonymous and free of personal details, and agree a handover process with the host venue.
  • Cost: low, mostly the tree, tags and signage, which a host venue may lend you.
  • Reach: local and seasonal, so pick a spot with steady footfall for 3 to 4 weeks.
  • Gift Aid: a donation of a chosen amount can qualify, but buying an item yourself is not a gift to the charity. If supporters receive something back, check the donor benefit rules.

What does a carol concert need?

A carol concert brings a community together for one evening. A choir or band performs, and you collect donations or sell tickets. It has the biggest atmosphere of the three formats and the highest peak reach, but it needs the most rules checked in advance.

  • Preparation: book the venue and performers about 8 weeks ahead, and plan a rota of 5 to 10 volunteers on the night.
  • Cost: medium, because of the venue, any hire of equipment and possible licences.
  • Reach: one evening, plus photos shared afterwards.

Music licensing is a question to settle early. We could not confirm from an official source whether PRS for Music or PPL licences apply to your venue and event, so check with PRS for Music and PPL directly, and ask your venue, which may already hold a licence.

What are the rules for collecting and raffles?

A concert often comes with a collection or a raffle, so check these three points before you announce the date.

  • Collecting at the door: carol singing from house to house needs a council licence under the House to House Collections Act 1939. Without one you risk up to six months in prison or a fine of up to £1,000.
  • Street collections: in England and Wales a council permit is needed, and each council sets its own deadlines. Some ask for at least 4 weeks. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own systems.
  • Raffles: an incidental lottery at the event lets you deduct up to £100 in costs and £500 for bought prizes, with tickets sold only at the event. Bigger raffles need a registered small society lottery. Raffle tickets do not qualify for Gift Aid.

Follow the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice, in force since 1 November 2025.

Where does Gift Aid fit in?

Gift Aid lets a recognised charity claim an extra 25p for each £1 given by a UK taxpayer, so a £100 gift becomes £125. The donor must make a declaration and have paid enough tax. Keep the declaration for 6 years after the last gift you claim on.

Only recognised charities and registered CASCs can claim. Small cash and contactless gifts of £30 or less fall under a separate scheme, so check the GOV.UK conditions.

Can you do all three online?

Yes. A donation page is the base: link it from your cards, tree and concert programme, so every format ends in the same place and distant supporters can join in.

  • Cards online: send an e card with a link to your page.
  • Tree online: list tag amounts on the page, each with a label.
  • Concert online: share the page in your programme and on a slide between songs.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

Two of the four Christmas experiences fit these formats well. They are still a concept until the official launch, so do not build your plan on them yet.

  • Card Wall (Card Wall): envelopes hang from a string, and each card is a stamp. Every gift becomes a card on the wall, the digital cousin of your printed cards.
  • Glow Room: a 3D living room with a Christmas tree where every gift becomes a decoration on the tree. It is the digital cousin of your giving tree, and could be shown on a screen at your concert.

The donation page works today in 3 steps: amount, personal details and summary. It works on a phone, supports one off and monthly gifts with a label on every amount, and lets donors give anonymously. If you write a thank you text, WeGlow.world sends it after each gift. Volunteers can also start their own action page.

See the Card Wall page, the Glow Room page and our guide to online Christmas fundraising. For stalls, read the Christmas stall guide. Ready to start? Create your account, or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Which format is easiest for a small charity?

Cards are the easiest to start because you need no venue and no licences. Order a small print run and add an online link.

Do I need a licence for a carol concert?

That depends on your venue, your performers and what you do on the night. We could not confirm the PRS for Music and PPL position from an official source, so ask them directly. Carol singing at doors needs a council licence.

Can I claim Gift Aid on card sales or raffle tickets?

No. Both are payments for goods or a chance to win. A separate optional donation with a valid declaration can qualify.

How early should I start?

Start about 6 weeks ahead for cards and a giving tree, and about 8 weeks ahead for a concert, so permits and bookings are settled in time.

Sources

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