Planning a Christmas campaign: a six-week timeline

Six weeks to your Christmas campaign: plan week by week, issue donation receipts only on confirmed facts, and check raffle, collection and data rules.

In short Plan a Christmas campaign for your association backwards: six weeks, each with one clear task. First goal and team, then rules and donation page, then promotion and delivery. For the donation receipt (Zuwendungsbestätigung) only confirmed facts count; for raffles, collections and data protection ask the competent body in your federal state.

This article describes the rules in Germany.

Start in October and you have enough time for a good Christmas campaign, but none for detours. This timeline shows what is due in which week and separates what is confirmed from what you still need to clarify. It is guidance, not legal advice.

Why plan backwards, and why six weeks?

Fix the campaign day first and count back six weeks. Six weeks suit a small team of 5 to 10 people. Ideas are in Christmas campaign ideas for your association; here it is only about when and who.

Week 1: set the goal, team and format

A goal in euros and a purpose you can explain in one sentence.
Three or four people in charge: campaign, donation page, communication, finances.
A format: Christmas market, advent calendar, wish tree or purely digital.
A date and a ceiling for the effort.

Plan one campaign your team can manage without overtime, not three half ones. For a Christmas market stall, see Christmas market for a good cause.

Week 2: clarify the rules before money flows

Ask every question whose answer could change the campaign. Five points belong on the list: non-profit status and the tax exemption notice (Freistellungsbescheid), raffle or draw yes or no, collections and stalls in public space, data protection for mailings, and a complete legal notice (Impressum) on the donation page.

Tax is uniform across Germany, while lotteries, collections and data protection supervision are regulated by the federal states (Bundesländer). For every open question, write down the competent body instead of guessing.

Week 3: build and test the donation page

Plan half a day for setup and one for testing on a phone. With WeGlow.world you set up a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. One-off and monthly donations are possible, each with its own amounts and labels such as "A warm meal".

Check required fields: first name and e-mail are requested.
Add a thank-you text so the thank-you e-mail goes out automatically.
Link the legal notice and privacy policy.
Test on smartphone and computer.

Week 4: win supporters and prepare materials

Ask members, volunteers and friends to start their own campaign page: on WeGlow.world supporters can create a personal donation page for your campaign and share it in their own circles. That spreads the work.

Prepare three texts: appeal, reminder, thank you.
Finish photos and poster.
Only write to people who have agreed to the mailing.

Week 5: announce the campaign and do a dry run

Publish the appeal, remind your team of their tasks and do a dry run: who stands where, who takes photos, who says thank you? Check that the lottery tax registration or the stall permit is in place, because deadlines of two weeks are the minimum, not a buffer.

Week 6: delivery, thanks and accounting

On the day, calm matters more than perfection. Afterwards: thank donors personally, record the figures and publish the results.

Say thank you within 48 hours, ideally with a photo.
Document income and costs cleanly.
Prepare donation receipts once the donations have arrived.

Donation receipt: only with confirmed facts

Donors look for the "Spendenquittung"; in law it is a Zuwendungsbestätigung. Confirmed: donations to non-profit bodies can be deducted as special expenses under section 10b of the Income Tax Act (EStG), up to 20 percent of total income. The deduction applies to the calendar year of payment, so no later than 31 December.

The official template of the Federal Ministry of Finance applies.
You may only issue it with a tax exemption notice no older than five years, or, without a notice, with a determination dating back at most three calendar years.
Up to 300 euros a bank statement is often enough for the donor, if the necessary details appear on the payment record or donation page.
Wrong receipts lead to liability: the tax is calculated at 30 percent of the donated amount.

Not confirmed, so not a fact: the exact wording for the donation page, details on the collective receipt and electronic delivery. Ask your tax office (Finanzamt) or tax adviser. As a precaution, do not issue a receipt for raffle tickets, because a ticket is not a donation. This assessment is not officially confirmed, so have a tax adviser clarify it.

Raffle, collection and data protection: it depends on the federal state

A raffle is gambling and needs a permit that the federal state and authority determine. Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia have general permits for small lotteries, with limits of 30,000 and 40,000 euros in total stakes.

The Bremen version we read (10,000 euros) applied only until 31 December 2024; ask the Bremen regulatory office about the current rule. The lottery tax registration is due at least two weeks before the start there, even with a tax exemption.

Selling tickets over the internet is not allowed in the permits we read for Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen (until 31 December 2024). A raffle belongs at the stall, not on the donation page.
For all other states: ask the competent authority.
Collections: in most states the permit requirement has been dropped, but Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia and Saarland still have one. A stall on a public street often needs a special-use permit, for example from the district office.
E-mails to donors: under section 7 of the Unfair Competition Act (UWG) you need prior consent. The Data Protection Conference considers double opt-in necessary. Supervision lies with the state data protection commissioner.
Legal notice: always show a complete one on the donation page.

How to do it with WeGlow.world: a Christmas experience

In addition to the normal donation page you can choose a digital Christmas experience. Four concepts are in the works; until the official launch they are still concepts. In the Glow Room every donation becomes an ornament on the tree in a 3D living room. Alternatives are the Starry Sky, the Gift Yard and the Card Wall.

The experience replaces no stall and no permit, but it gives people a reason in weeks 4 and 5 to share the campaign. Prepare a photo or screenshot for social media. To start right away, create an account on WeGlow.world and build the donation page first.

Frequently asked questions

The five questions associations ask most when planning a Christmas campaign.

Are six weeks really enough for a Christmas campaign?

Yes, if the format is small and the team is clear. With 5 to 10 helpers you can manage a donation page, an appeal and a campaign day. For a raffle or a market stall, check the authorities' deadlines in week 1 or 2.

May I sell raffle tickets online?

In the three general permits we read (Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen, limited to 31 December 2024) selling tickets over the internet is excluded. Whether an association can get its own permit is not confirmed. Ask your state's gambling authority first.

When does a donation count for this year for tax purposes?

What matters is the calendar year of payment, so plan a deadline of 31 December. Which exact day counts for bank transfer or card is not confirmed. Advise donors not to wait until the last days.

Do I need a donation receipt for every donation?

No. Up to 300 euros a bank statement is often enough for the donor, provided the necessary details are there. The exact wording is not confirmed. Ask your tax office or tax adviser before relying on it.

May I invite donors to the campaign by e-mail?

Only with prior consent. Double opt-in is considered necessary under the Data Protection Conference guidance. Whether the exception for existing customers fits donors is not confirmed, so ask the state data protection authority if in doubt. More practice is in Christmas campaign ideas and via contact.