Charity Christmas dinner in Belgium: tickets and tables

Plan a charity Christmas dinner or brunch: price per seat, tickets, seating plan and thank yous. The seat price is a benefit in return, so no tax certificate.

In short A charity Christmas dinner or brunch takes six weeks to prepare: venue, menu, tickets, seating plan, thank yous. The price per seat is paid in return for a meal, so it earns no tax certificate. Only a separate gift of at least €40 with nothing in return, to a recognised organisation, opens the 30% reduction.

This article describes the rules in Belgium.

A shared meal does what a donation appeal struggles to do: it brings people together around a cause, around a table. Here is how to choose the format, set the price per seat, manage tickets and tables, and thank your guests, without promising what the law does not confirm.

Dinner, brunch or afternoon tea: which format to choose?

The format depends on your team and your audience. A morning brunch suits families and older guests. A dinner more easily attracts companies and friends of the asbl or vzw (the Belgian non-profit association).

  • Sunday brunch: 2 to 3 hours, 40 to 80 guests, simple service.
  • Seated dinner: 3 to 4 hours, a caterer or a team of volunteers does the cooking.

To compare with other actions, read our Christmas action ideas for an association in Belgium.

Setting the price per seat and the budget

The price per seat must first cover your costs: food, drinks, venue hire, insurance, decoration. What remains after expenses is the profit for your cause. Work out how many guests you need to cover your costs before you open ticket sales.

An example of planning, to adapt: for 60 guests at €25 cost per person, you need €1,500 to cover expenses. A €45 ticket then leaves €20 per guest, so €1,200 for the cause if the room is full.

Tickets, tables and seating

Sell tickets in advance, never only at the door. A limited number of seats creates urgency and stops you cooking for ghosts. Set a registration deadline, for example 10 days before the meal, so that you can order as precisely as possible.

  1. Individual ticket: simple, suits couples and small groups.
  2. Whole table of 8 to 10 people: ideal for a company, a school or an extended family.
  3. Sponsor table: the company pays for the table and invites volunteers or beneficiaries.

The price per seat is not a deductible gift

The price per seat is a payment for something in return: the guest receives a meal in exchange for paying. According to the FPS Finance (SPF Finances in French, the Belgian federal tax authority), a gift that earns a tax reduction must be made with nothing in return. A dinner ticket therefore does not lead to a tax certificate.

For donors to a recognised organisation, the reduction is 30% of the amount on the certificate for gifts made since 1 January 2025 (previously 45%). The minimum is €40 per year and per organisation, and the gift must be personal and final. Group collections and membership fees with something in return are excluded.

Can you suggest a gift on top of the ticket? Yes, as a separate and voluntary gesture, but only if your association is recognised by the Minister of Finance. We could not confirm how to treat an amount paid above the price per seat: ask the FPS Finance before you announce it.

Raffle or auction during the meal

A raffle is an evening classic, but it comes with rules. Without a licence, an association recognised by the municipal council can run up to four a year, at municipal level.

  • Maximum €5 per ticket and 1,000 tickets per raffle.
  • Prizes in kind only, with a commercial value of at most €500.
  • At least 70% of the takings go to the cause.

Beyond that, you need the municipality's permission. What the municipality requires to "recognise" an association varies: ask your municipality. To sell tickets online, contact the National Lottery. Avoid a "Christmas bingo": bingo falls under the Gaming Commission.

Thanking your guests

A thank you brings people back the following year. Thank them in person during the meal, then in writing within 48 hours: a short message, the total raised and what it makes possible, with a photo if people have agreed to it.

Keep your guest list with their consent so you can write to them afterwards. For any fundraising e-mail, assume you need their prior agreement, with an unsubscribe link in every message. The national register number is only requested to issue a certificate, and only at that point.

A six-week plan

Six weeks are enough for a meal of 40 to 80 people. Adapt this calendar to your team.

  1. Six weeks before: fix the date, venue, budget and price per seat.
  2. Five weeks before: choose the caterer or the menu, recruit 8 to 12 volunteers.
  3. Four weeks before: open ticket sales and the donation page.
  4. Ten days before: close registrations, finalise the seating plan.
  5. After the meal: thank guests within 48 hours and announce the total.

For the step-by-step detail, follow our guide to organising a Christmas action in Belgium.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

A dinner lasts one evening, but your cause deserves support before and after. WeGlow.world helps you build a donation page in three steps: amount, details, summary. It accepts one-off and monthly gifts, and works on a phone. Guests who cannot come can give from a distance.

Every table host can start their own action page and invite their circle to support the dinner. You can save a thank you text that is sent after every gift. If your association is recognised, tax certificates go to all the relevant donors in one click. You start for free with an account on weglow.world.

To extend the celebration, we are preparing four Christmas experiences, still a concept until the official launch. In the Card Wall, every card is an envelope hanging from a string, with its stamp: ideal for your guests' good wishes. In the Glow Room, every gift adds a decoration to the tree in a 3D living room. Ready to start? Visit the Christmas portal. Create your account or contact the team.

Frequently asked questions

These five questions come up most often with associations preparing a Christmas meal.

Does the ticket price entitle you to a tax certificate?

No. The price per seat is a payment for something in return, and a deductible gift must be made with nothing in return. Only a separate gift of at least €40 per year to a recognised organisation opens the 30% reduction.

Can our association issue certificates?

Only if it is recognised by the Minister of Finance, or named in the law. Without recognition, do not announce any deduction to your guests. Check with the FPS Finance.

When do donors receive their certificate?

Organisations usually send it in March or April of the following year. A year-end gift must be paid by 31 December at the latest to count for that year: confirm this rule with the FPS Finance.

Can we run a raffle during the meal?

Yes, within the limits of €5 per ticket, 1,000 tickets and €500 of prizes in kind, for an association recognised by the municipality. Beyond that, ask the municipal council for permission.

Do we need consent to e-mail guests after the meal?

Assume so for any fundraising e-mail. The "soft opt-in" exception is tied to the sale of a product or service, and we could not confirm that a gift falls under it. Include an unsubscribe link.

Sources

Articles