Christmas fair stall calculator
Planning the school, church or club Christmas fair? Tick your stalls, set your prices and how many people you expect, and see what each stall should take, what it costs, the profit, and how much float to get from the bank. Then print it for the committee. Free, no sign-up.
Starting numbers are our own guesses for a typical small fair, not your data. Change any price, cost or 'goes per 100 visitors' and everything updates.
Your Christmas fair plan
| Use | Stall | Price £ | Cost per go £ | Goes per 100 visitors | Goes | Takings | Profit | Float £ |
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How to make more at your Christmas fair
- Ask for donations early. Donated stock is pure profit. Send the parent letter four weeks out and a reminder the week before.
- Put the grotto and food at the back so people walk past every other stall to get there.
- Price in round amounts (50p, £1, £2) so change is quick and queues move.
- Count every float out and back in with two people, and write down the totals by stall so you know what to repeat next year.
- Sell raffle tickets before the day through the school app or newsletter, then draw at the fair.
Questions
Is the Christmas fair calculator free?
Yes. No sign-up and nothing is saved or sent anywhere. It runs on your phone or computer.
Where do the starting numbers come from?
They are our own starting guesses for a typical small school or community fair, not data from your fair. Change every price, cost and 'goes per 100 visitors' figure to match your own event, and the totals update straight away.
How much float does each stall need?
Most stalls run fine on £10 to £20 in mixed coins. If your prices end in 50p, carry more 50p coins; if most prices are whole pounds, carry £1 coins and a few £5 notes. The calculator suggests a float for each stall you pick and adds up the total cash you'll need to get from the bank.
What are the most profitable Christmas fair stalls?
Stalls with donated stock make the most, because almost every penny is profit: tombola, raffle, bottle stall, bake sale, nearly new toys and guessing games. A grotto brings in a lot per child but each gift costs money, so check the profit column, not just the takings.
Do we need a licence for a raffle at a school fair?
A raffle or tombola run at the fair, with tickets sold and drawn on the day, is usually an 'incidental lottery' in Great Britain and doesn't need a licence, as long as the prizes and costs stay within the Gambling Commission's limits. Check the Gambling Commission's current guidance for your event, and keep a simple draw record.
Should we take card payments?
Many visitors carry no cash now, so a card reader on the busiest stalls (grotto, food, entry) usually lifts takings. Card readers charge a fee per payment, so take that into account in your prices.