Christmas volunteering: how to organize a corporate Christmas box (guide 2025)

Why launch a "Christmas volunteering" initiative at work?

The festive season is a time for generosity, but also a time when associations need help to distribute meals, organize a New Year's Eve solidarity event, run outreach campaigns or simply break isolation with a greetings card.

It's an ideal setting for a corporate solidarity project that's both easy to set up and meaningful for your teams!

To find out about available missions and official best practices, visit Service-Public.fr and the JeVeuxAider.gouv.fr platform.

christmas volunteering

Christmas solidarity box: the simple, effective definition

The Christmas Box (or Christmas Solidarity Box) consists of filling a shoebox with useful and warm items, before entrusting it to a local association for distribution over the festive period.

Practical guides detail these lists and explain how to find a collection point near you, such as the one published by HelloAsso.

Typical contents of a Christmas box :

  • Warm clothing (hat, gloves, scarf)
  • A hygiene product (soap, toothpaste - new and sealed)
  • A non-perishable treat
  • A hobby (book, card game)
  • A greeting card with a kind word

Good to know: several associations (e.g. the French Red Cross) offer "solidarity boxes" campaigns, with instructions on content, labeling (male/female/child) and deposit. Some redistribute the boxes during outreach campaigns or via day-care centers.

HR & CSR benefits for your company

  • Engagement & cohesion: a simple, concrete and inclusive action that brings people together, even with dispersed teams.
  • Local impact: short circuits (collection and distribution via local associations) maximize social utility.
  • Employer branding: getting the word out about your solidarity project boosts its attractiveness, especially when welcoming (onboarding) new recruits.
  • Compétences & insertion: complete the Christmas box with skills sponsorship in support of professional integration structures (CV workshops, coaching).

Action plan: set up a "Christmas box" collection in 30 days

  1. D-30 to D-21: framing and choosing partners
  • Set the objective: number of boxes, beneficiaries (adults, children, women), logistics budget.

Select a relay association: Red Cross, Secours populaire, Petits Frères des Pauvres, or use theJeVeuxAider.gouv.fr platform to find seasonal missions.

Formalize instructions: shoebox format, list of authorized items, labeling (Men/Women/Children), drop-off point(s) and time slots.

  1. D-20 to D-11: publicizing the initiative
  • Internal communication: poster, e-mail, post on your social networks, box counter.
  • Ambassadors: appoint 1 contact person per team/site to answer questions.
  • Fundraising" option: add a donation collection (kitty) to supplement in-kind donations (gloves, socks, hygiene products) or finance a solidarity New Year's Eve party.
  1. D-10 to D-1: logistics and quality
  • Collection points: centralize boxes, weigh, label, check contents (dates, security).
  • Sorting: organize by recipient (M/F/children, sizes).
  • Official presentation: photo, signed collective greetings card, message of encouragement
  1. D+1 to D+15: Action summary
  • Measure: number of boxes, estimated beneficiaries, CO₂ avoided (share rides), social network coverage.
  • Thank: employees, partners, volunteers.
  • Sustainability: transforming the momentum into ideas for year-round solidarity actions (marauding, distributing meals, literacy training, mentoring, etc.).

Absolutely essential (quality, dignity, safety)

  • Follow official lists: non-perishable, sealed products, new hygiene products, no alcohol, no dangerous items. Avoid worn clothing, incomplete toys, unlabeled home products.
  • Clear labeling: Male/Female/Child (+ age range) for easy distribution.
  • Coordination with the association: respect for deadlines, volumes and real needs. Refer to theService-Public.fr guide for typical missions (outreach, New Year's Eve solidarity events, gift wrapping, greeting cards).
christmas volunteering

Examples of complementary solidarity actions (before/during/after Christmas)

  • Outreach & distribution: mixed teams of employees and volunteers distribute meals and blankets.
  • Greeting cards" workshop: writing messages for isolated people, delivered via the "maraudes".
  • Réveillon solidaire: cooking/serving/entertaining volunteers, in conjunction with networks such as Petits Frères des Pauvres.
  • Themed collection: feminine hygiene products, winter kits, toys (new), list validated by partner association.
  • Solidarity-based purchasing in short circuits: complete the boxes with hats/socks from professional integration workshops or local SSE structures.

Boost participation with mobile games (with OuiLive)

OuiLive is a SaaS platform for mobile games for companies: Business in game mode. It enables you to quickly set up a solidarity operation and maximize its impact through gamification.

  • Quick, turnkey launch: create a "Christmas Solidarity Box" challenge in just a few minutes with over 200 templates.
  • engagement mechanisms: points for each complete Christmas box, bonuses for greeting cards, "marauding distribute" or "fundraising" challenges, team rankings, "CSR Ambassador" badges. 
  • Analytics: track the number of boxes, participation rate by site, weekly progress in real time, then export a CSR report.
  • Personalization by universe: Impact, Welcome, Learning, Sales, Health, Fun.

Result: 100% of your employees like to play; transform your CSR and Internal Communication KPIs into a collective playground, with lasting commitment.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

How can I find a Christmas volunteer job near me?

Go toJeVeuxAider.gouv.fr (verified missions, filters by location/date) or contact well-known networks directly(Red Cross, Secours populaire, Petits Frères des Pauvres).

What to put in a Christmas solidarity box?

A warm item of clothing, a hygiene product, a non-perishable delicacy, a hobby, a greetings card. Respect the association's guidelines (new, non-perishable, no alcohol). Consult this HelloAsso guide.

Can you become a company collection point?

Yes. Take inspiration from municipal schemes and confirm the details with the partner association (registration, dates, public visibility of the collection point).

What other formats can end-of-year solidarity take?

Wrapping gifts for charities, food drives, distributing meals, solidarity Christmas parties, collecting donations of products and toys.

Message template for your social networks

🎁 Solidarity Christmas box at [Company name]!

Until [date], bring a shoebox containing: 1 warm item of clothing, 1 hygiene product, 1 non-perishable delicacy, 1 hobby and 1 greetings card 💌.

Deposit: [place]. Distribution via [partner association].

Together, let's make the festive season a time for sharing ✨ #BenevolatNoel #BoiteSolidaire #RSE

Organizing a company Christmas solidarity box means transforming a simple gesture into a lever for lasting impact: a useful Christmas gift, a thoughtful greeting card, a word of attention that counts for someone in precarious circumstances.

Over and above the collection, this approach strengthens team cohesion, gives meaning to the end of the year and establishes a culture of mutual aid that extends into the New Year and beyond.

To maximize efficiency, stick to the quality reflex: content adapted to real needs, clear labeling, coordination with local associations.

Before each edition, check the updated instructions and drop-off points (authorized lists, calendars, volumes) to avoid superfluity and direct your efforts where they are most needed.

Last but not least, gamification facilitates adoption and participation: by making solidarity action a convivial challenge, you stimulateengagement, track indicators (boxes collected, participation, additional donations) and enhance the value of contributions.

With OuiLive " Business in game mode ", you can deploy a turnkey, traceable and inclusive operation in just a few minutes, combining the spirit of the holidays with concrete social impact. Launch your campaign now: one box at a time, you'll make this end-of-year a real solidarity gas pedal.

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