Christmas Market Shopping List

A Christmas market needs more than products for the stalls. You also need serving supplies, hot-drink equipment, power, cash-handling tools and weather-ready furniture. This shopping list covers the practical items behind a market with stalls, soup, sandwiches, snacks, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and mulled wine. Check quantities against your visitor numbers, stallholders and serving hours, then arrange chilled deliveries and equipment hire before the final week.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Market tablesqty 12
Beer tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 40
Checkout tablesqty 3
High tablesqty 4
Clothes racksqty 6
Christmas tree standsqty 3
Plastic containersqty 12
Booth panelsqty 8

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 120
Mulled Wine Cupsqty 150
Bowlsqty 100
Soup bowlsqty 100
Coffee spoonsqty 120
Forksqty 120
Knivesqty 120
Platesqty 150
Serving plattersqty 20
Serving spoonsqty 12

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 3
Soup kettlesqty 3
Mulled wine potqty 2
Food warmersqty 4
Coolersqty 6
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 8
Cash boxesqty 3
Card machinesqty 3
Cratesqty 20
Hand trucksqty 2

Lighting

String lightsqty 12
LED lampsqty 16
Battery lampsqty 8
Lanternsqty 10

Decorations

Artificial Christmas treesqty 3
Christmas baublesqty 80
Christmas wreathsqty 6
Christmas garlandsqty 12
Fabric table runnersqty 16
Price tagsqty 100
Menu boardsqty 8
Wayfinding signsqty 10
Poinsettiasqty 12
Table decorationsqty 16

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knivesqty 6
Measuring cupsqty 4
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Serving tongsqty 12
Thermos flasksqty 8

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 10
Washing-up tubsqty 4
Spongesqty 12
Cleaning bucketsqty 4
Broom setsqty 3

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 5 packs
- Black tea - 4 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Hot chocolate - 12 liters
- Semi-skimmed milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Whipped cream - 12 aerosol cans
- Sugar - 4 kilos
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Honey - 2 jars
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Cinnamon sticks - 3 bags
- Star anise - 2 bags
- Mulled wine - 24 bottles
- Non-alcoholic mulled wine - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 8 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 6 crates
- Spa Red - 3 crates
- Beer - 6 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Bock beer - 2 crates
- Apple cider - 3 crates
- Warm spice mix - 4 sachets
- Vegetable stock - 3 boxes
- Tomato soup - 12 liters
- Split pea soup - 12 liters
- Onions - 5 kilo
- Carrots - 5 kilos
- Leeks - 3 kilos
- Celeriac - 3 pieces
- Potatoes - 8 kilos
- Bacon cubes - 3 kilo
- Smoked sausage - 20 pieces
- Vegetarian smoked sausage - 8 pieces
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Pepper - 250 gram
- Bay leaves - 2 bags
- Thyme - 2 pots
- Cream - 4 liters
- Baguettes - 30 pieces
- Mini Christmas rolls - 250 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 3 kilo
- Herb butter - 2 kilo
- Sliced cheese - 4 kilos
- Ham - 3 kilos
- Hummus - 3 kilos
- Arugula - 1 kilo
- Cucumbers - 3 kilos
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Mayonnaise - 3 liters
- Mustard - 2 liters
- Ketchup - 2 liters
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Bar snacks - 6 kilos
- Christmas wreath cookies - 8 kilos
- Spiced biscuits - 6 kilos
- Marshmallows - 4 kilos
- Gingerbread - 4 kilos
- Mandarins - 10 kilos
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Christmas candy - 5 kilos
- Napkins - 20 packs
- Paper cups - 500 pieces
- Paper soup bowls - 250 pieces
- Wooden stirrers - 500 pieces
- Wooden forks - 250 pieces
- Wooden knives - 250 pieces
- Wooden spoons - 250 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant - 3 bottles
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Paper Carrier Bags - 250 pieces
- Receipt rolls - 12 rolls
- Name stickers - 200 pieces
- Christmas coloring sheets - 150 pieces
- Colored pencils - 10 boxes
- Tape - 12 rolls
- Service stickers - 4 rolls

Tips

Plan two to three hot drinks per visitor for the first hour, then adjust for the total opening time. Mulled wine cups, coffee cups and hot-chocolate servings are easy to underestimate.
Buy or bring at least one serving bowl, spoon or platter for each food station, plus 10% spare tableware. Soup bowls, plates, forks and knives disappear quickly when several stalls serve at once.
Allow one checkout table and one cash box or card machine for each busy sales point. Test every card machine and bring enough extension cords and power strips at least one day before setup.
For an outdoor market, arrange party tents and secure them before the weather check on the day before the event. Add plastic boxes for stock, decorations and paperwork so supplies stay dry and easy to find.
Keep chilled products in coolers until serving and separate them from dry goods. Prepare a clearly labelled storage area for sandwiches, snacks and other food before deliveries arrive.

Frequently asked questions

How many cups do I need for a Christmas market?: Start with two to three cups per expected visitor for the first hour of service, then add roughly one cup per person for every additional hour. Keep at least 10% extra for spills and replacement cups.
How much mulled wine should I buy for a Christmas market?: Allow 200–250 ml per serving and plan for one serving per adult who is likely to buy it. For 100 adult visitors, that means about 20–25 litres if mulled wine is the main hot drink option.
How many tables are needed for a Christmas market?: Allow one stall table per selling point, then add separate tables for checkout, food preparation and drinks. Confirm the number after the layout is prepared, leaving clear aisles between stalls and service areas.
When should I buy supplies for a Christmas market?: Buy non-food supplies, tableware and decorations at least one to two weeks ahead. Arrange chilled food and fresh deliveries for the day before or the morning of the market, with enough cooler space ready first.

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