Organise a Christmas market for charity in Belgium

A practical guide to a charity Christmas market or stall in Belgium: team, planning, your municipality, the till, tax certificates and an online layer.

In short A charity Christmas market or Christmas stall works best when you start small. Plan 6 weeks of preparation, at least ten helpers for your own market and two or three for a single stall. Settle the location and permission with your municipality early, register every gift through a donation page and promise no tax benefit without recognition.

This article describes the rules in Belgium.

A Christmas market is where you meet neighbours, parents and colleagues in a single evening. It also takes more work than it seems. Below you will find a practical approach for Belgium, with honest limits: what we know for certain is stated here, and for the rest you ask your municipality.

A stall at an existing market or your own market?

Start with the smallest version that reaches your goal. A stall at a market that already exists takes far less effort than your own event, and you immediately reach visitors who are already there. Your own market only pays off with a large team and a fixed location.

  • One stall, two or three people: you rent or request a spot at the market of a school, neighbourhood or municipality.
  • Your own market, ten helpers or more: you handle set-up, the till, promotion and clearing up yourself.
  • A small Christmas market in your own hall: a smaller reach, but you set the rules yourself.

Still undecided between formats? Then first read the decision tree for a charity Christmas fundraiser.

Six weeks of planning for a Christmas market

For your own market, allow 6 weeks. For a single stall, 3 weeks are enough. The order matters more than the details: first permission and location, then helpers and products, and only then promotion.

  1. Week 1: choose the date and location, ask the municipality what you need to apply for and set a goal, for example an amount for one project.
  2. Week 2: divide the tasks (till, set-up, stalls, promotion) and find products to sell.
  3. Weeks 3 and 4: prepare your donation page, printed material and announcement, and invite supporters.
  4. Week 5: confirm helpers, assign the shifts and test the till.
  5. Week 6: set up, remind everyone and announce the day.

A more detailed schedule is in the playbook for a Christmas fundraiser.

What do you ask the municipality?

For a Christmas market there is no central Belgian rule that we can quote here. Pitch, stall and electricity are arranged per municipality. So always ask your municipality, preferably in writing and at least 6 weeks ahead.

Which department is responsible differs: often it is local economy, events or public domain. Ask these questions:

  • May I put up a stall or market here, and under what conditions?
  • Is there a form or application for using public space?
  • What applies to electricity, waste and safety?
  • What applies to food and drink, and which department should I discuss it with?
  • May I collect on the public road, or does a municipal police regulation apply?

The answer you get depends on your municipality. Write it down and keep it.

What do you sell and how do you keep it simple?

Sell few things, well chosen. A small menu of 5 to 10 products is served faster than a large one, and you have less to prepare. Choose what your team can make itself or receive.

  • Homemade: biscuits, jam, candles, Christmas arrangements, handicrafts.
  • Donated: products from local shops that may see their name on your poster.
  • Cards and wishes: Christmas cards or a wish tree, cheap and easy to staff.
  • Hot drinks: popular, but first ask the municipality which rules apply to food and drink.

A raffle can add extra income. Take into account the limits that apply to a small association, for example a maximum price per ticket. Read the article on raffles and lotteries at a Christmas fundraiser and ask your municipality for confirmation.

Till and gifts: keep them apart

A sale at the stall is not a gift. Whoever buys a biscuit gets something back. A gift is an amount with nothing in return. That difference later determines what you may promise your supporters.

So work with two streams: a till for sales and a gift through a donation page, for example with a QR code on the stall. That way your helpers do not ask for loose coins as gifts, and you know who has given.

Agree beforehand who counts the till, always two people together, and note the evening's total before you go home.

Tax certificate: what counts and what does not?

According to FOD Financiën, the Belgian federal tax authority (checked on 9 October 2026), the tax reduction for gifts has been 30 percent since 1 January 2025, with a minimum of €40 per year and per institution. The gift must be personal and without anything in return.

What does that mean for your market?

  • Proceeds from stall sales or a collective collection do not give a tax certificate.
  • Only a recognised institution can issue certificates. If you are not recognised, promise nothing.
  • A donor who gives €40 or more online to a recognised institution can receive a certificate.
  • The gift must be paid in the calendar year itself to count for that year, so by 31 December at the latest. Check this with your accountant or with FOD Financiën.

As for the national register number: you may only ask for it in order to issue a certificate.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

A market reaches one evening and one place. With WeGlow.world you give the market an online extension: a donation page in three steps (amount, details, overview) with one-off and monthly gifts, which also works smoothly on a mobile phone. Put the link and a QR code on your stall.

Supporters can start their own action page for your market and invite their network. You can set a thank-you text, so donors receive an e-mail after their gift. An organisation without that text sends no thank-you e-mail, so fill it in.

Want to add atmosphere? WeGlow.world has four digital Christmas experiences, still a concept until the official launch. Starry Sky suits a Christmas market: every gift becomes a star and you fly from star to star. In Glow Room every gift becomes a decoration on the Christmas tree. Only plan around them once WeGlow.world has confirmed.

You start for free, but you need an account first. Create your account or ask the team your question.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a charity Christmas stall?

That differs per municipality. There is no central rule that we can confirm. Ask your municipality in writing about location, electricity, food and drink and collecting on the public road, at least 6 weeks ahead.

How many people do I need?

For a single stall, two or three people are enough, taking turns. For your own market, allow ten helpers or more, for set-up, till, promotion and clearing up.

Can donors get a tax reduction for what they buy at the stall?

No. A purchase has something in return and a collective collection gives no certificate. A gift of at least €40 per year to a recognised institution can, with a 30 percent reduction according to FOD Financiën (checked on 9 October 2026).

May I organise a raffle at my market?

A small raffle without permission has hard limits, for example a maximum price per ticket and a maximum number of tickets. Ask your municipality what applies to you and read the article on raffles and lotteries.

How do I make a Christmas market visible to people who are not there?

Put a donation page online and share the link with your supporters. With WeGlow.world you set up that page and let supporters start their own action page, so people who cannot come can join in too.

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Articles