Sneak peak of charity trends this holiday season

Christmas will soon be in full swing. 2022 is the first in three years without COVID-19 restrictions, quarantine periods, and masking. No doubt, everyone is looking forward to their holiday festivities. 

Charities are no exception. For a holiday blow out, we sneak a look at what’s coming up and what to expect during the campaign season.

Key points about the sector this holiday period 

December to January are some of the busiest months for charities. Nearly one-third of annual giving is done over the holidays. And, for charities planning starts early, with 53.8% starting their year-end appeal in October.  

2022looks a little different to previous years. To kick off the biggest fundraising period, many organisations are now able to make both in-person and digital fundraising plans due to the global recovery from COVID-19. 

Key impacts on the sector coming up include the cost-of-living crisis, the impact of the FIFA World Cup, and competition with commercial brands for holiday season advertising space. 

Charities gearing up for the season 

Some charities are participating in The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge campaign, which doubles donations through match funding. Confirmed “Champions” on the Christmas Challenge include the Reed Foundation, the Childhood Trust, and DCMS.  

2022 is looking promising for the project, with The Big Give expecting to have “the largest amount of Champion funding ever disbursed to charities”.  

Charities also have the opportunity to partake in Giving Tuesday (29 November 2022), a global campaign to encourage everyone to “support the good causes and communities that mean so much to them”. Charities can get involved in a variety of ways: one standout is leprosy charity Lepra UK, which has chosen to host a celebrity shoe auction.   

Charities are blending themes 

Fashion forward campaigns are always cheery and engaging.  In 2022, they are about blending sustainability, creativity, and fundraising. The Prince’s Trust and New Look fashion chain have collaboratively launched an online design competition. Submissions for party dresses have been accepted across digital, drawings, and other media.  

Channelling sustainability credentials, New Look will use surplus fabrics to produce the party wear. Campaign watchers should keep an eye out for the new clothing ‘drop’, featuring designer, and promotional material from The Prince’s Trust’s entrepreneur programs.  

Conscious charity fundraising 

What charities are not ignoring this year is that many households will be constrained by economic factors. Rising cost-of-living and lavish celebrations don’t give off positive optics.  

Many charities, such as St Giles Hospice, WaterAid, Dementia UK, and Spread a Smile, are conscious that many may be struggling financially. In their conversation with Fundraising Magazine, two comments stand out. 

Martin Bishop, Director of Fundraising at Dementia UK notes that: “The full impact of the increase in energy price rises will be felt at around the time most charities launch their Christmas campaigns. There is also more competition for advertising on Facebook, which is increasing advertising costs.”  

This reflects that for many charities, inflationary pressures are unfortunately impacting the cost of campaigning.  

However, Chloe Hope, Head of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, observes that tried and true Christmas events still draw audiences: “Our lotteries and Christmas raffles are really important to us in this time as it gives our community the opportunity to support the Hospice with the potential for an incredible win for themselves. As we saw in the financial crash, return based giving maintains its demand at a time when individual giving might dip.”  

This suggests that despite economic pressures on communities, we can expect to see prize-based holiday campaigns maintain their popularity into the holiday season.  

New card designs 

Audiences should get excited about seeing new designs as many charities  look to upgrade their branding, social media channels, and other offerings.  

Age UK Shropshire Telford and Wrekin is no exception, and in 2022has revamped its Christmas card designs. The new look has been selected by members of the charity’s local day centres and dementia support groups and all profits will go directly to supporting vulnerable and older people in the local area.  

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) have also released a new card design showcasing North Yorkshire artist Jessica Hogarth.