Christmas Fundraising Ideas for Your Team, School, or Community
Christmas is a time for giving, and there’s nothing more festive than turning seasonal goodwill into support for a cause you care about.
Whether you’re planning something big or keeping it simple, these Christmas fundraising ideas can help turn festive spirit into support for a cause you care about. There’s something here for every group and every budget, from quick and simple ideas like a jumper day to a full Christmas fair, and we’ll help you get started. We’ll cover:
- Christmas jumper day or non-uniform day
- Secret Santa with a donation twist
- Festive bake-off
- Carol singing or a carol concert
- Christmas fair or market stall
- Festive quiz night
Christmas fundraising ideas for the workplace
Bring your colleagues together this Christmas and spread festive joy to a cause you care about. Together, you can have heaps of fun while raising funds for an amazing cause.
Fundraising at work brings colleagues together and makes a real difference in the festive season, and it can liven up the working day too! It’s even better where employers offer matched giving, so the impact you make together goes further.
Below are three of the best workplace festive fundraising ideas:
Christmas jumper day
Ditch the shirt and tie for the wackiest Christmas jumper you can find! It’s a simple way to get everyone involved and bring colleagues together for a good cause, with fun and fantastic jumpers all around. If you’re organising it, just ask your colleagues for a small donation to take part.
Secret Santa with a donation twist
Turn your office Secret Santa into a wholesome festive fundraiser. Instead of buying gifts, ask everyone to donate to a cause that matters to them, spreading the Christmas spirit far and wide this season.
Festive bake-off
Another great festive fundraising idea is an office bake-off. Sweet treats are one of the best parts of the season, so whether it’s gingerbreads, yule logs, or mince pies, your colleagues will be happy to take part.
Christmas fundraising ideas for schools
Schools are a natural home for Christmas fundraising, and it’s a favourite with pupils and families alike, because it turns something the kids are already looking forward to into support for a fantastic cause. Festive activities are a fun way to get everyone involved and a great way to bring the school community together for a good cause.
School fundraiser ideas can be hosted in the classroom or, for bigger plans, organised by the PTA. Below are three Christmas fundraising ideas for schools to get you started.
Christmas fair
Christmas fairs are a standout hit in schools all over the country, and there are so many ways to get involved in all the festivities.
A classic fair might include traders coming in to set up their own stalls and sell Christmas treats, decorations, and homemade goods. Or it might be something completely run by the kids, with handmade tree decorations or baked goods up for sale and games for all attendees to play, like pin-the-nose-on-the-reindeer!
No Christmas fair is complete without a grotto, giving kids a chance to meet Santa before the big day. Top off the event with a raffle, with enticing prizes for the winners. The whole community will come together to create a festive moment you’ll all remember, while supporting a good cause.
Carol concert
Get the teachers and kids involved in a carol concert for parents, friends and classmates to come and watch.
Simply ask for donations on the door, then spend an evening singing some of the season’s favourite carols.
Festive non-uniform day
For a small donation, students can dress however they like; the more festive, the better. Students often love the chance to express themselves outside of their uniform and are bound to enjoy this easy-to-organise idea.
Christmas fundraising ideas for your community
Christmas fundraising isn’t just for schools and offices. Your community can get involved too with a host of festive fundraising ideas.
Below are three community Christmas fundraiser ideas. These can take place in clubs, churches, or even just your local neighbourhood:
Carol singing collection
Treat your neighbours to some festive tunes with door-to-door carol singing. It’s a great way to bring the whole neighbourhood together while collecting donations for a worthwhile cause.
For those who want a bigger audience, try carol singing in your town centre, and let people know it’s all in aid of a good cause.
Christmas market stall
Sell hand-poured candles, hot chocolate bombs, or custom Christmas wreaths at your local church hall with your own market stall. People love a personal touch and will relish the chance to support you and your cause.
Festive quiz night
Switch your Santa hat for your thinking cap with this Christmas charity event idea. A festive quiz night brings the community together for a night full of laughter, healthy competition, and support for a meaningful cause.
Charge a small fee for entry, and ask festive-themed questions like ‘Which country started the tradition of putting up decorated trees?’ (It’s Germany!)
Give instead of gifts
Fundraising isn’t just for schools, offices and communities. You can make a difference as an individual too.
You could ask your family or friends to donate to a charity of your choice instead of gifting you presents. We all love unwrapping presents on Christmas Day, so you may just ask friends and families to donate in place of sending you a card instead. Even small donations can go a long way.
How to plan your Christmas fundraiser
Christmas is a season of joy, so you’ll be glad to know creating a fundraiser is simple. To plan your Christmas fundraising event, just follow these steps:
- Pick an idea and date early: Give yourself as much time as possible to organise the event and rally support behind your cause.
- Set up a free JustGiving page: It’s easy and lets people know about your event, making the whole thing hassle-free.
- Set a target: The best fundraising pages have goals in mind, and there’s nothing better than watching support build towards it.
- Promote your page: The more people who see it, the more supporters can get behind your cause.
- Turn on Gift Aid: This lets you boost eligible UK donations by 25% at no extra cost, so every contribution goes further for your cause.
Ready to get going? Start your Christmas fundraising page today, or check out more fundraising ideas for the rest of the year.
Christmas fundraising ideas: your questions answered
Thinking about hosting a Christmas fundraising event of your own? Here’s what people usually want to know.
What are good Christmas fundraising ideas?
Some of the best Christmas fundraising ideas pair a simple activity with big participation. Think a Christmas fair, carol concert, jumper day or a straightforward raffle.
How do schools raise money at Christmas?
School fundraising events can range from small, easy-to-organise things like non-uniform days or classroom Secret Santas, all the way to carol concerts and Christmas fairs.
How can I raise money for charity at Christmas?
There are so many wonderful ways you can raise money for charity, from Christmas market stalls to festive quiz nights.
Whichever you pick, setting up a JustGiving page and turning on Gift Aid will make raising money so much easier.
What can I sell to raise money at Christmas?
Homemade crafts and baked goods are a staple at any Christmas market. If you’re looking to sell your own homemade goods, think decorations, wreaths, and cards or baked goods like mince pies or gingerbread people.
You could even bundle a few of those ideas together in a hamper and sell raffle tickets for one lucky winner to take it home!
How do you run a Christmas fair?
To run a Christmas fair, book your venue early, line up stalls around the hall or space and recruit volunteers to help run the event or run the stalls.
Promote the event locally so the whole community knows about it, and add crowd-pullers to bring in more people.
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