Christmas Market by Night Shopping List

A night-time Christmas market needs more than festive food and drinks. You also need reliable lighting, safe power distribution, hot-holding equipment and enough serving items for several stalls. Use the plan’s 69-item supply list as your base, then check quantities against your stallholder count and expected attendance. Buy or collect non-perishable supplies early, chill drinks on the day, and leave time to replace missing cables, fuel or serving equipment before the market opens.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 8
Market stallsqty 12
Beer tablesqty 10
Foldable tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 50
High tablesqty 8
Stoolsqty 16
Clothes racksqty 6
Stall shelvesqty 24

Lighting

String lightsqty 12
LED lampsqty 20
Battery lanternsqty 10

Equipment

Extension cordsqty 10
Power stripsqty 8
Cable matsqty 12
Warming kettlesqty 4
Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Refrigeratorsqty 2
Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 6
Payment terminalsqty 3
Walkie-talkiesqty 6

Kitchen

Soup kettlesqty 2
Serving spoonsqty 6
Serving jugsqty 6
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Measuring cupsqty 4
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving tongsqty 8

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 300
Coffee cupsqty 80
Soup bowlsqty 100
Platesqty 150
Cutlery setsqty 150
Teaspoonsqty 80

Decorations

Christmas treesqty 4
Christmas baublesqty 80
Christmas garlandsqty 12
Christmas wreathsqty 6
Tableclothsqty 20
Christmas figuresqty 12
Price sign holdersqty 30
Information boardsqty 8
Directional signsqty 12
Barrier tapeqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 10
Waste binsqty 4
Cleaning bucketsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Broom setsqty 4
Hand broomsqty 4
Washing-up tubsqty 4
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Paper dispensersqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Mulled wine red - 30 liters
- Non-alcoholic mulled wine - 10 liters
- Red wine - 20 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 8 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 8 crates
- Spa Rood - 4 crates
- Beer - 6 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Coffee - 6 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Hot chocolate - 12 liters
- Cocoa powder - 2 kilos
- Milk - 20 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Whipped cream - 12 cans
- Sugar - 4 kilos
- Sweetener - 4 boxes
- Cinnamon sticks - 300 gram
- Star anise - 200 grams
- Oranges - 5 kilos
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Ginger - 1 kilo
- Honey - 2 kilos
- Vegetable stock - 10 liters
- Tomato soup - 10 liters
- Pea soup - 10 liters
- Soup vegetables - 5 kilos
- Onions - 3 kilos
- Garlic - 500 grams
- Baguettes - 40 pieces
- Buns - 150 pieces
- Herb butter - 3 kilos
- Young cheese - 4 kilos
- Ham - 3 kilos
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Speculaas - 8 kilos
- Christmas cookies - 8 kilos
- Apple pie - 8 pieces
- Christmas loaf - 8 pieces
- Brownies - 6 kilos
- Mandarins - 8 kilos
- Apples - 6 kilos
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Disposable bags - 500 pieces
- Coffee filters - 200 pieces
- Stirrers - 500 pieces
- Tea bags - 300 pieces
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 36 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Disinfectant spray - 4 bottles
- Bottle openers - 4 pcs
Cash change
Cash boxesqty 3
Menu boardsqty 8
Grocery Cratesqty 12
Ice packsqty 24
Heat-resistant glovesqty 6
Apronsqty 12
Hair netsqty 12
Food thermometersqty 2
Allergen cardsqty 20
Labelsqty 200
Market basketsqty 12

Tips

Allow 2–3 drinks per visitor for the first hour, then add roughly 1 drink per person for each additional hour. Keep extra water and non-alcoholic options separate from the mulled wine and coffee supplies.
Plan one serving spoon, jug or platter per food station, plus at least 10% spare pieces. Shared utensils are easy to misplace when several stalls are serving soup, pastries and cookies at the same time.
Count power-hungry equipment before shopping or collecting supplies. Warming kettles, coffee machines, kettles, refrigerators and lights may need separate outlets, extension cords and power strips; bring cable mats wherever leads cross walkways.
Provide lighting at every stall, not only along the main entrance. A practical starting point is one string-light run or LED lamp per stall, with battery lanterns available for dark corners and power failures.
Buy disposable or consumable supplies at least 3–5 days before the market, then do a final stock check on the morning of the event. Set aside the mulled wine base, soup base, chilled drinks and non-perishable items so setup does not depend on one late delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What food should I buy for a Christmas market by night?: Plan the quantities from your registrations and stallholder menus, then add 10% for late arrivals and unexpected demand. The core plan includes supplies for mulled wine, soup, coffee, cookies and pastries, so check ingredients, serving utensils and hot-holding equipment separately.
How many drinks do I need for a Christmas market?: Use 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour, followed by about 1 drink per person for every extra hour. Add water and non-alcoholic drinks, and keep a 10% buffer if attendance is uncertain.
How many lights and extension cords do I need for a night market?: Start with one lighting setup per stall and one battery lantern for each dark access or service area. Count every appliance and light before choosing extension cords, power strips and cable mats; have the electrical layout checked at least 24 hours before opening.
When should I buy supplies for a Christmas market?: Buy non-perishable items and backup serving equipment 3–5 days beforehand. Chill drinks on the event day, check stock that morning, and confirm deliveries and missing equipment no later than the day before.

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