Christmas email to donors in Canada: 3 examples

Three full Christmas emails for Canadian donors: invitation, update and thank you, with subject lines, buttons, a table and the CASL and Québec Law 25 rules.

In short Send Canadian donors three Christmas emails: an invitation in early December, a progress update about a week before the deadline and a thank you within 48 hours of the close. Each has one job and one button. Check your consent basis first: CASL section 3(g) covers registered charities only, and only when fundraising is the main purpose.

Below are three full examples with subject lines and button text, a planning table and the rules to confirm before you press send.

Which three emails does a Christmas appeal need?

You need an invitation, a progress update and a thank you. Together they open the story, keep momentum and close the loop. Fit them into a six week window, as described in our Christmas fundraiser planning guide.

Need an appeal first? See Christmas fundraising ideas for a charity in Canada. The examples use a made up food hamper appeal.

Email one: the invitation

Send this on the day your giving page goes live, usually in the first week of December. It tells one story, names one goal and offers one way to act.

Subject: Will you help us fill 150 Christmas hampers?
Preview text: Our holiday appeal opens today.

Hi Sam,

Last winter you helped us feed 90 families. This Christmas we would like to fill 150 hampers, and we have set a goal of $6,000 (an example figure, use your own).

Every gift becomes groceries for a family in need. If you give by December 31, you will receive an official donation receipt for this tax year.

Button: Give to our holiday appeal

With thanks and warm wishes,
Amira, Riverside Food Bank
Registered charity number [your number]. [Mailing address, phone number and website]. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link below.

Email two: the progress update

Send this about a week before the deadline, when a reminder genuinely helps. Show real progress and give a clear reason to act now.

Subject: $3,900 raised, and 7 days to go
Preview text: See what your gifts have already done.

Hi Sam,

Thank you. Because of supporters like you, we have raised $3,900 towards our $6,000 goal, enough for 97 hampers. (Example figures.)

We are $2,100 short with one week left. Could you help us close the gap? A gift of $40 fills one hamper, and a monthly gift of $10 keeps our shelves stocked well into the new year.

Button: Help us reach $6,000

Warmly,
Amira

Email three: the thank you

Send this within 48 hours of the appeal closing. It names the result, explains what the money will do and asks for nothing more than a reply.

Subject: You did it, thank you
Preview text: Here is what your Christmas gift made possible.

Hi Sam,

The appeal has closed and we raised $6,420 from 138 supporters. (Example figures.) Because of you, 150 families will open their doors to a full hamper this Christmas.

Your official donation receipt will follow separately. In January we will share a short update with photos and stories from the warehouse. If you would like to say hello, simply reply to this email.

Button: See what your gift did

From all of us, thank you,
Amira

How do the three emails compare?

The table below sets the three emails side by side, so you can plan your send dates and keep each message to a single job.

EmailWhenJobButton text
InvitationDay the giving page opensTell the story, name the goalGive to our holiday appeal
Progress updateAbout 7 days before the deadlineShow progress, name the gapHelp us reach $6,000
Thank youWithin 48 hours of the closeReport the result, say thanksSee what your gift did

Keep subject lines short and put the real number in them. We quote no open rates, so test your own subject lines.

Do you have permission to email? CASL and section 3(g)

Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) governs commercial electronic messages. Section 3(g) of the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations exempts messages sent by or on behalf of a registered charity, as defined in the Income Tax Act, when the primary purpose is raising funds for the charity.

The exemption is narrow. It covers registered charities only, not other non-profits, and only when fundraising is the main purpose. Sponsor advertising or commercial activity in the message may take it outside.

Your invitation and progress update clearly ask for money. Whether a thank you with no request has fundraising as its primary purpose is a question for the CRTC or a lawyer.

Without the exemption you need express or implied consent. Implied consent from an existing business relationship lasts up to 2 years, and from an enquiry 6 months.

Every message must identify the sender, with a mailing address and a phone number, email or website valid for at least 60 days. Include an unsubscribe mechanism and act on requests within 10 business days, free of charge.

What changes for donors in Québec?

Québec's Law 25 adds privacy duties on top of CASL. According to the Commission d'accès à l'information, an organization names a person responsible for personal information, publishes a plain language privacy policy and asks for consent that is manifest, free, informed and specific to each purpose.

The Commission's page speaks of "enterprises", so whether this applies to your charity is not confirmed. Ask the Commission d'accès à l'information. Also ask a Québec adviser whether donors there must receive your email in French.

What must your emails say about receipts and tax?

Only a registered charity with a CRA registration number can issue an official donation receipt. Never imply that a raffle ticket earns one, because the CRA says a lottery ticket purchase is not a gift. Our guide to donation receipts at Christmas covers the details.

A gift counts for the tax year in which it is made, so December 31 is the cut off. Donors claim a non refundable credit themselves. For 2026, Finance Canada describes the lowest federal rate as 14 percent on the first $200 of gifts. Provincial credits differ, so promise no specific refund.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

If your organization is on WeGlow.world, your emails can send donors to a donation page that takes three steps, handles one time and monthly gifts, and works on a phone. Supporters can also start their own fundraiser page for your appeal.

You can write a thank you text that goes to donors after a gift, once you have filled it in. Our Christmas experiences are concepts until the official launch. The Card Wall hangs envelopes on a string where each card is a stamp, a friendly picture for your thank you email. See all four in the Christmas fundraising hub, or start free with an account.

Frequently asked questions

How many Christmas emails should we send?

Three is a good rule: an invitation, a progress update and a thank you. Keep the thank you free of any ask.

Does CASL apply to a charity's donor emails?

Often yes, unless section 3(g) applies. It exempts messages from registered charities whose primary purpose is fundraising. Other non-profits are not covered. When in doubt, hold express consent and ask the CRTC.

Can we email people who gave last year?

Possibly. Implied consent from an existing relationship lasts up to 2 years, but what counts as a relationship is detailed. Check with the CRTC or a lawyer and always include an unsubscribe link.

Do we need a French version for Québec donors?

This is not confirmed in our sources. Ask a Québec adviser, and ask the Commission d'accès à l'information about your Law 25 duties before you email donors there.

Should the thank you email include a receipt?

You can send it separately. An official receipt needs your CRA registration number, a serial number, the donor's name and address, the amount and the eligible amount. Confirm the full list with the CRA.

Sources

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