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First on your Christmas list: decide what you would like to do to raise money!You can choose from our ‘12 ideas for Christmas’ guide (below), or get creative and decide on your own event.
You could even take on the ultimate challenge: do a different activity each day for the 12 days of Christmas!
Once you decide what you’re doing, we have step-by-step instructions below to help you make the most of it!
12 ideas for Christmas 
Idea 1 - Ask for donations as a Christmas present
Not sure what to ask for from Father Christmas?
Why not ask for a donation in your name for Christmas instead of a gift this year?
Idea 2 - Craft something
Whether it be knitting and selling scarves to keep you and your friends warm this winter, or creating homemade Christmas crackers, spending the extra effort to make homemade items to sell can be a great way to fundraise over the festive season.
Idea 3 - Create a 2021 calendar
Are you a keen photographer? Why not make the most of your skills and create a 2021 calendar to sell ahead of the New Year!
Idea 4 - Shine a light
Nothing says Christmas like decorations!
Decorate the outside of your house, ask people to donate to view either in person or via an online giving page.
Idea 5 - Host a virtual Christmas quiz
Put your friends’ Christmas knowledge to the test.
Set up a virtual Christmassy quiz, and ask for a small donation to take part.
Idea 6 - Hold a seasonal gaming fundraiser
‘Tis the season to get together with friends and family – and nothing says Christmas like games! Whether it’s classic board games, other tabletops, or a stream-a-thon, gaming is a great way to raise money, and we have step-by-step guides here.
Idea 7 - Hold a Christmas competition
From Christmas themed bake-offs to creating the best baubles and decorations, there are plenty of ways to host seasonal competitions to decide once and for all who deserves to be on Santa's nice list this year!
Idea 8 - Take a cold dip in the sea and get sponsored
As if it isn’t cold enough already this winter, challenge yourself to get just a bit colder! If you are up for the challenge, ask your friends to sponsor you to take a dip in the sea, or a local lake or lido!
Idea 9 - Onesie Runsie
If running is your thing why not do a sponsored run in your onesie for funsie? Your friends are sure to donate if you can brave a short (or long!) distance run in your PJs or your favourite onesie!
Idea 10 - Virtual Christmas Concert
Host your own virtual concert on Facebook Live and ask people to donate to hear your talents.
Idea 11 - Hold an online Christmas auction
We’ve all received presents that we don’t want before. Rather than let them gather dust, why not auction them off in aid of the National Autistic Society?
Idea 12 - Christmas scavenger hunt
Whether you are giving clues to find in person, or you’re hosting it over Zoom, a scavenger hunt is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit, and by asking people to pay to play, it’s an easy fundraiser!
Bonus! Idea 13
Do your own thing - we can help you turn almost any special interest or hobby into a fundraising idea. Email community.fundraising@nas.org.uk with 'Ask the experts' in the subject line, and our team of experts will be happy to help!
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Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and work-based social media sites (for example, Yammer) are all good choices. We're outlining how to do it on Facebook, but you can modify as needed for other social media platforms, including setting up an online giving page for sponsored events.
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It’s easy to create a Facebook event, and you can personalise it with your own photos and words. If you want it shared as widely as possible, be sure to create it as a Public event rather than Private.
- outline what your event is and include any details about deadlines, criteria etc
- use the group to tell people about your fundraising and invite them to take part
- ask your friends and family to share the event so more people can join the festive fun.
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Will you ask people to donate to take part? Or sponsor you? Consider whether you want to ask for a suggested amount or if any donation will do.
It’s easy to set up a JustGiving page, and donations made to it come straight to the charity, making it a highly efficient way to collect donations and Gift Aid (where applicable).
If you’re fundraising as part of a team or as part of a bigger challenge, eg a student fundraising challenge, be sure to tell that story on your JustGiving page and to encourage all your team members to share among their contacts!
Top tip: Add your JustGiving page link to your Facebook event in a pinned post, to make it easy for people to find the link.
Alternatively, you can add a Donate button on Facebook, on any post within your Facebook event or on your own timeline.To add a Donate button to a Facebook post:
- look at the icons below your post. There is one that looks like a heart in a circle. If you hover over this, it says ‘Support Charity’
- click on this and type 'National Autistic Society'
- then type what you want to say and hit 'Post'.
Donations made via a Facebook donate button come straight to the charity. Easy peasy!
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Shortly ahead of your event, remind people it’s coming up – post on Facebook, message your participants, post an update on your JustGiving page.
If using Facebook Live, YouTube Live or Twitch, or a Zoom meeting room, send the URL for the meeting to everyone who has donated to take part.
If using Facebook Live or YouTube Live, start your feed a few minutes before your announced time so you can check it’s all working correctly.
You may want to tell your participants how much has been raised so far, tell them about the impact their fundraising will have and encourage them to donate if they haven’t already.
At the end, remember to thank everyone who takes part for donating to help autistic people.
Have fun, and thank you for supporting the National Autistic Society!
