How to organise a Christmas quiz for charity

Christmas quiz for a good cause: hall or online, rounds, teams, sign-up via the donation page and what applies to prizes and raffles in Germany.

In short A Christmas quiz for a good cause works in a hall or online: teams sign up via your donation page, play four to six rounds and raise donations in one evening. Allow six weeks, count on 5 to 10 helpers and clarify the rules for prizes, raffles and mailings beforehand.

this article describes the rules in Germany.

Why a Christmas quiz for a good cause?

A quiz needs no stage technology and no market stall. Two hours, questions, pens and a projector are enough. Teams bring friends, colleagues and neighbours, so you reach people who did not know your association.

The evening is easy to repeat: next year you play the same format with new rounds. More formats are in Weihnachtsaktion Ideen für Ihren Verein.

Hall or online: which format fits?

In a hall the atmosphere comes by itself: table teams, applause, a quizmaster. That suits associations with a clubhouse, parish hall or pub as partner. Count on 8 to 12 tables of 4 to 6 people, so roughly 30 to 70 guests.

Online you reach teams from all over Germany. They play by video conference, questions appear on screen and answers go into a form. That saves hall rental but needs calm hosting and a test run of about 30 minutes.

A hybrid is possible, with extra teams online, but it doubles the technical effort. Start with one format. Ideas for online evenings are in Online Weihnachtsaktion: ein digitales Erlebnis.

How do you build the rounds?

Four to six rounds of eight to ten questions make about 90 minutes of play. Mix easy and hard questions so every team has successes. A short break after round three leaves room for drinks and donation appeals.

Christmas customs in Germany and around the world
Music: recognise lines or melodies of songs
Picture round with details from Christmas markets and films
Estimation questions, such as the number of lights on the Christmas tree
A round about your association and its purpose

The round about your own association is the most important building block. Here you explain what a donation achieves, without a lecture. Keep two spare questions ready in case one is disputed, and decide beforehand who rules.

Registration and donations via the donation page

Instead of sign-up lists, set up a donation page for the quiz. Teams register there and may give more voluntarily. The form asks for first name and e-mail address, enough for the confirmation with time and link.

According to common interpretation, an entry fee and a donation are not the same for tax purposes. A Zuwendungsbestätigung (Spendenquittung, the donation receipt) is intended for voluntary contributions without anything in return. Clarify how to separate entry fee and donation beforehand with your tax adviser or Finanzamt (tax office).

Show your full Impressum (legal notice) on the page. That is the safe rule, though it is not settled whether the duty applies to every volunteer page. Tracking needs consent under § 25 TDDDG.

Prizes and raffles: what you need to know

A raffle is an Ausspielung, a draw for prizes in kind. Whoever runs it publicly without a licence commits a criminal offence. The states set the rules and they differ markedly. Always check your own Bundesland.

The Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 (Interstate Treaty on Gambling) allows small lotteries if the sum of stakes is at most €40,000, the net proceeds serve exclusively charitable, church or benevolent purposes, and net proceeds and prize total each make up at least 25% of the stakes. States may be stricter.

Four examples we read show the range: Berlin allows up to €30,000 of stake capital, North Rhine-Westphalia up to €40,000. There, net proceeds and prize total must each be a third, and ticket sales may last at most 3 months. Bremen names €10,000 and 25%, and its general ruling was limited until 31 December 2024. We could not confirm whether a new one applies now. For Bavaria, the Bayernportal gives notification limits at €650 and €5,000.

For the other states we have not confirmed any rules. Ask the competent Glücksspielaufsicht (gambling supervisory authority) of your Bundesland. Minors may not take part. Under § 28 RennwLottG, lottery tax is exempt at €40,000 of stakes for charitable purposes but must still be registered with the Finanzamt, in Berlin and NRW at least 2 weeks ahead.

Important: the permits we read from Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen rule out selling tickets over the internet. So do not plan an online raffle via the donation page. Draw only in the hall, with tickets sold on site.

An alternative is prizes for the best teams, awarded by points instead of by draw. Whether that counts as a game of chance in your Bundesland, we have not confirmed. Ask your Glücksspielaufsicht before announcing it. Small prizes from partners such as a bakery or bookshop keep the effort manageable.

Timeline: six weeks to quiz night

6 weeks ahead: set date, format, hall or video conference; clarify rules for prizes
5 weeks ahead: collect questions, set up the donation page, assign helpers
4 weeks ahead: send invitations, approach partners for prizes
2 weeks ahead: test questions, check technology, register lottery tax if you draw
1 week ahead: reminder to all registered teams
After the evening: thanks and result within 48 hours

A more detailed roadmap for the whole campaign is in Weihnachtsaktion planen: der Zeitplan.

Invitations and mailings

E-mail advertising needs your prior explicit consent (§ 7 para. 2 UWG). The data protection authorities describe double opt-in as necessary for electronic consent. Whether the exception for existing customers fits donors is not settled, so assume consent.

For your data protection questions the Landesdatenschutzbehörde (state data protection authority) of your Bundesland is responsible. Invite people who signed up for your news themselves, and use posters, social media and personal contact for the rest.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

WeGlow.world offers a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. It works on a phone, handles one-off and monthly donations, and you can give each amount its own label, such as a team spot. You can start for free with an account.

Supporters can start their own campaign page for your quiz, so each team raises more among friends. A thank-you text you set is sent automatically after a donation. For events with tickets, WeGlow.world also offers registration and live totals.

At Christmas you can choose from four experiences, which are still concepts until the official launch: the Starry Sky turns every donation into a star and you fly from star to star. The Glow Room, a 3D living room with a Christmas tree, hangs a decoration on the tree for each donation. The experience pages demo how each donation can become visible, for instance on screen on quiz night. All four are in the Christmas fundraising hub.

Ready? Set up your donation page: start free with an account. Questions? Write to us via the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How many teams do we need at least?

From 6 teams there is competition, from 10 the evening comes alive. Online, fewer teams will do, because the technology does not have to fill tables. Plan too many questions rather than too few.

May we charge admission for the quiz?

That is an entry fee, not a donation. A Zuwendungsbestätigung exists only for voluntary contributions without anything in return. Clarify the split beforehand with your tax adviser or the Finanzamt.

Can we offer an online raffle with the quiz?

We advise against it. Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen rule out selling tickets over the internet in the permits we read. For other states there is no confirmed statement. Ask the competent Glücksspielaufsicht.

When must we register lottery tax?

Even with an exemption, registration with the Finanzamt is generally required, in Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia at least 2 weeks before the start. For your Bundesland, ask your Finanzamt.

May children play too?

In the quiz itself, yes; a family quiz with a children's round is popular. Minors are excluded from a raffle. For photos and data of children, contact the Landesdatenschutzbehörde of your Bundesland.

Sources

All sources checked on 9 October 2026. This is not legal advice.