Christmas market for charity: planning your stall
A stall at a German Christmas market: what Ordnungsamt, mulled wine, raffles and donation receipts mean for your association, and how to start in eight weeks.
In short A stall at a Christmas market brings your association visibility and donations, but it needs lead time. Six to eight weeks ahead, ask your municipality whether you need a street-use permit, catering approval or a raffle licence. Only sell what you may sell, and show a QR code to your online donation page.
this article describes the rules in Germany.
For many associations a Christmas market is the first contact with people who do not know them yet. Here is a roadmap: what to clarify beforehand, what to offer and how donations continue after the market.
Which kinds of stall work for a good cause?
The most common are the info stand with a collection box, the sales stall (cookies, candles, crafts), the stand serving mulled wine (Glühwein) and the raffle. The info stand is simplest; drinks and raffles need the most preparation.
Start small: a table with leaflets, a few items and a visible QR code is enough. A team of 5 to 10 people shares the shifts, so nobody stands alone all day.
Be clear: what are you collecting for, and what does 10 euros achieve? Answer that in one sentence and you will raise more than a stall with just a box.
Do you need a permit for the stall?
That depends on the market and your municipality. An organiser usually assigns pitches and knows the conditions. A spot on a public street often needs a Sondernutzungserlaubnis (permit for special use of public roads). Ask the Ordnungsamt, the municipal public order office.
Example: in Hamburg, info stands, kiosks and collection boxes in public streets need the consent of the Bezirksamt (district office). That is not a rule for all of Germany.
Call the Ordnungsamt or organiser early. Ask specifically about pitch, hours, documents and fees, and get what was promised in writing.
What applies to collecting donations in public?
Collection law (Sammlungsrecht) is a matter for the federal states. In most Bundesländer a collection permit is no longer needed, but Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia and Saarland still have a collection act. Always check what applies in your state.
Berlin abolished its collection act on 1 January 2004, Hamburg in 2013, Saxony in 2009. Even so, authorities may prohibit a collection that endangers public safety or order. In Thuringia, children under 14 are excluded as collectors and young people aged 14 to 18 only to a limited extent.
A collection box at a stall on a fenced market site differs from collecting in the street. Whether your plan needs a permit is decided by the competent office of your state or municipality. Ask before sending volunteers out.
What about mulled wine, waffles and cookies?
As soon as you sell food or drinks, additional trade or catering rules may apply, even if all proceeds go to the cause. Which ones depends on the municipality. Ask the Ordnungsamt and the Lebensmittelamt (food inspection office).
Plan this early, because permits cannot be arranged last minute. Without experience serving drinks, team up with an experienced stall or start with baked goods and candles.
Raffles and prize draws: where are the limits?
A public raffle without a licence is a criminal offence. Gambling law is a matter for the federal states and limits differ by Bundesland. Ask your municipality whether a general permit applies and what to register.
The regulations we read show the range: Berlin allows a stake capital of up to 30,000 euros, North Rhine-Westphalia up to 40,000 euros, Bremen up to 10,000 euros (version limited until 31 December 2024, ask the Bremen Ordnungsamt about the current rule). For small lotteries the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag (Interstate Treaty on Gambling) names 40,000 euros as the upper limit for stakes. The net proceeds must go to charitable, church or benevolent purposes.
Lottery tax must also be registered with the Finanzamt (tax office), even if you are exempt: in Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia at least two weeks before the start. According to the general permits we read (Berlin, NRW, Bremen until 31 December 2024), selling tickets over the internet is not allowed. Minors may not take part.
So plan the raffle only as a draw on site. An online raffle via the donation page is not standard.
Donation receipt: what can you issue?
Donations are deductible as Sonderausgaben (special expenses) up to 20 percent of total income. For this your association needs a valid Freistellungsbescheid (tax exemption notice). At the time of issue it must not be older than five years. If there is no notice yet, the articles of association may have been established no more than three calendar years earlier.
The Zuwendungsbestätigung (commonly called Spendenquittung, the donation receipt) must follow the officially prescribed template. Up to 300 euros a bank statement is enough for the donor if it shows the required details. Anyone who issues a false receipt is liable for 30 percent of the amount.
At the stall this means: a donation is voluntary and made without anything in return. Whoever buys cookies or draws a ticket gets something back. Check with your Finanzamt or a tax adviser whether a receipt is allowed then. Money in the box without a name cannot be attributed anyway.
Timeline: from eight weeks to market day
- Eight weeks ahead: set date, market and stall type, send the request to organiser or Ordnungsamt.
- Six weeks ahead: clarify permits, raffle and food, form a team of 5 to 10 people.
- Four weeks ahead: prepare the donation page with QR code, get materials and price tags.
- Two weeks ahead: shift plan, cash box, and lottery tax registration if you plan a raffle.
- After the market: say thank you and record the results.
A more detailed plan for the whole campaign is in the article Weihnachtsaktion planen: der Zeitplan. For other formats see Weihnachtsaktion Ideen für Ihren Verein.
How to do it with WeGlow.world
A stall only reaches passers-by. With WeGlow.world you extend market day online: a donation page in three steps (amount, personal details, summary), with one-off and monthly donations. The QR code at the stall leads straight to it, and the page works on a phone.
The page asks for first name and e-mail address, and you can set a thank-you text that is sent after the donation. Anyone inspired at the stall can also start their own campaign page and collect among friends.
For the time after the market there are four Christmas experiences, which are still concepts until the official launch. The Card Wall shows envelopes on a string, each card is a stamp, ideal for greetings from stall visitors. In the Glow Room every donation becomes a decoration on the tree in the 3D living room. You set up your account via sign up, and contact helps with questions. More on the overview page.
Frequently asked questions
Does an association always need a permit for a Christmas market stall?
Not always, but often a confirmation from the organiser or a permit from the municipality. Ask your municipality's Ordnungsamt and get the answer in writing.
May I serve mulled wine for the association?
Probably additional trade or catering rules apply, even if the proceeds are donated. Ask the Ordnungsamt in good time, ideally six weeks before the market.
Is a raffle at the Christmas market allowed?
Only with a licence. The states regulate it differently: some have a general permit for small lotteries, with limits on stake capital, net proceeds and registration deadlines. Register lottery tax with the Finanzamt.
Can I issue a donation receipt for market donations?
For genuine, voluntary donations from a known donor, yes, if your association has a valid Freistellungsbescheid and uses the official template. For purchases of goods or tickets, speak to the Finanzamt or a tax adviser first.
May I also collect donations online?
Yes, via a donation page with a QR code at the stall. For newsletters to donors you need their consent, and the Datenschutzkonferenz (conference of German data protection authorities) considers double opt-in necessary. An online raffle, by contrast, is not simply allowed.
Sources
Checked on 9 October 2026. This is not legal advice. When in doubt, ask the Ordnungsamt, the Finanzamt or a tax adviser.