Christmas cards, wish tree or charity concert compared

Christmas cards, wish tree and charity concert compared on preparation, cost and reach, plus the digital version with the Card Wall and the Glow Room.

In short Christmas cards, a wish tree and a charity concert each do a different job. Cards need about 3 weeks and 2 or 3 people, the tree about 4 weeks and 3 to 5 people, the concert about 6 weeks and 10 helpers. Choose by your team and add an online donation page.

this article describes the rules in Spain.

These are three classic formats with very different workloads. Here you compare them on preparation, relative cost and reach. We give no prices: they depend on your printer, your venue and your community.

The three formats side by side

This is our own planning, not a measurement. Adjust it to your volunteers.

Christmas cards: about 3 weeks, 2 to 3 people, low cost if digital, reach depending on your contact list and your supporters' lists.
Wish tree: about 4 weeks, 3 to 5 people, low cost, local reach depending on foot traffic at the chosen spot.
Charity concert: about 6 weeks, 10 people or more, higher cost, reach depending on capacity and the artists' audience.

Still torn between these and other formats? Start with the ideas for a charity Christmas campaign.

Christmas cards: the lightest start

Cards have the lowest barrier to entry: you need no venue and no single evening when everything has to go right. You do need a list of people you may write to with their permission.

You send members and supporters a card with an invitation to give. You can also suggest that companies turn their card budget into a donation.

Preparation: design the card, clean up the list and get the donation page ready. Allow 3 weeks.
Relative cost: printing and postage for paper cards; ask for quotes. A digital card only costs time.
Reach: that of your list, extended by whoever forwards the card.

Watch out when using e-mail: Spain's LSSI law prohibits advertising without prior consent, with one narrow exception. The safest route is a clear opt-in and an easy unsubscribe link in every message.

Wish tree: a tree with faces

The wish tree goes where people already walk by: a school, a library, a community centre or a shop willing to help. Each person writes a wish on a card and leaves a donation.

Preparation takes about 4 weeks: ask for the spot, get a tree and cards, and organise volunteer shifts to look after the collection box and answer questions. Cost stays low. Reach is local and depends on how busy the place is.

Make each card show something concrete that a donation makes possible. Do not put a fixed price on the card: that would be a purchase with something in return, not a donation. In public spaces, ask the town council first.

Charity concert: the big moment and the most work

A concert brings your people together in one evening and, thanks to a choir, a music school or a band, also reaches new audiences. Of the three, it is the format that demands the most work.

Allow 6 weeks and at least 10 helpers for welcome, ticketing, the hall and clearing up. Fix the place and date first, then invite the artists.

Cost: venue hire, sound, drinks and printing. We give no figures: ask the venue and the technicians for a quote.
Income: tickets, a voluntary contribution at the door and a donation page for those who cannot attend.
Reach: the seats in the hall, plus the online layer you put on top.

A raffle at the concert? In Spain it depends on each autonomous community and, under state law and in Madrid, prizes may not be cash. Madrid requires prior notification; Catalonia requires authorisation when prizes exceed €3,000. For the rest, ask your community.

Copyright and music: check first

Music has rights holders. We could not confirm from an official source when you have to pay for a charity concert or what rate applies, so we will not give a rule.

Ask the copyright collecting society and the venue where you will perform. Do it in week 1.

What applies to all three: receipts and privacy

Donors often ask whether they can claim a deduction. It depends on your organisation and the nature of the contribution, so do not promise anything you cannot certify.

The deduction under Law 49/2002 covers only entities under article 16, such as foundations and associations declared of public utility. An association without that declaration is outside the scheme.
For personal income tax (IRPF), individuals apply 80% to the first €250 and 40% to the rest, with 45% for recurring donors. The limit is 10% of the taxable base.
In principle, a purchase, a ticket or a card sold is not a donation. The law allows a symbolic return if it does not exceed 15% of the contribution.

To issue the certificate you need the donor's NIF (tax ID). In the Basque Country and Navarre the tax regime is different.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

All three formats reach whoever is present. With WeGlow.world you create a donation page in three steps, with one-off or monthly gifts, and put it on the card, next to the tree and at the concert with a QR code. Your supporters can open their own fundraising page, and you can prepare a thank-you text. Everything works from a phone.

And each format has a digital version. The Card Wall is the digital sibling of the card: each gift becomes an envelope with a stamp hanging on a string, with the donor's card inside. The Glow Room is the digital sibling of the wish tree: a 3D room with a Christmas tree where each gift becomes a decoration.

To be clear: the four Christmas experiences of WeGlow.world are still a concept until the official launch. Do not base your plan on them until they are confirmed. Meanwhile, create your account and prepare the donation page. More detail in the article on the online Christmas campaign.

How to choose with your team

Choose by the people you have, not by ambition. A team of 2 or 3 does cards well; a group of 5 can put up a tree; with 10 or more you can consider the concert.

Nothing stops you combining them: a concert with a tree in the foyer adds a lot for little extra work. If a market stall interests you, see the charity Christmas market.

Frequently asked questions

Which format is best for a small association?

Christmas cards, especially digital ones: about 3 weeks, 2 or 3 people and no venue. With WeGlow.world you can also keep a donation page open for anyone who gets the card and wants to help.

Can I sell the wish tree cards at a fixed price?

Better not. In principle, a card with a fixed price is a purchase and not a donation, and it does not entitle the buyer to a certificate. Ask for a free contribution.

Do I have to pay copyright fees for a charity concert?

We cannot confirm it from an official source, so ask the copyright collecting society and the venue. Do it in the first week of preparation and get the answer in writing.

Can I hold a raffle at the concert?

Yes, but it depends on your autonomous community and, under state law and in Madrid, prizes may not be cash. Madrid requires prior notification and Catalonia authorisation if prizes exceed €3,000. Ask your community before selling any ticket.

Can I give a donation certificate to people who give at the concert?

Only if your entity falls under article 16 of Law 49/2002 and the amount is a pure donation, with nothing in return beyond a symbolic benefit. You need the donor's NIF. In principle, tickets do not count as a donation.

Sources

Official links consulted, checked on 9 October 2026.