What you need for an Ecumenical Christmas Market

An ecumenical Christmas market needs more than stalls and decorations. You will need serving equipment for hot drinks and food, clear price signs, table coverings, Christmas displays and a practical way to manage queues and payments. Buy or collect reusable cups, plates and cutlery early, especially if several stallholders share them. Use the list below to keep shopping, collections and final checks separate and avoid discovering missing essentials on market day.

Organize this event for free with Lizzt

What to bring

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

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Market stallsqty 12
Tablesqty 18
Folding chairsqty 80
Bar stoolsqty 12
High tablesqty 8
Christmas nativity table
Clothes racksqty 6
Sign holdersqty 12
Crowd control barriersqty 10

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 250
Coffee cupsqty 120
Platesqty 120
Platesqty 180
Dessert platesqty 150
Cutlery setsqty 180
Serving plattersqty 20
Serving tongsqty 12
Serving spoonsqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 8

Decorations

Artificial Christmas tree
Christmas baublesqty 80
Christmas garlandsqty 20
Christmas wreathsqty 8
Poinsettiasqty 20
Christmas figuresqty 12
Tableclothsqty 20
Red carpetsqty 2
Table signsqty 14
Price list signsqty 8
Chalk markersqty 12
Name badgesqty 30
Ropeqty 4
Cable tiesqty 200

Lighting

String lightsqty 16
LED lanternsqty 24
LED candlesqty 40
Extension cordsqty 12
Power stripsqty 10

Equipment

Refrigeratorsqty 2
Coolersqty 6
Coffee machinesqty 4
Kettlesqty 3
Soup kettlesqty 3
Hot platesqty 3
Speakersqty 2
Microphonesqty 2
Microphone standsqty 2
Card machinesqty 2

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 4
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Pansqty 4
Baking dishesqty 6
Aluminum foilqty 4
Cling filmqty 4
Kitchen scalesqty 2
Bottle openersqty 6
Corkscrewsqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 12
Waste binsqty 4
Broom setsqty 4
Litter pickersqty 2
Mopsqty 4
Bucketsqty 4
Cleaning clothsqty 30
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Toilet brushesqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 8 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 4 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Hot chocolate - 12 liters
- Mulled wine - 20 liter
- Non-alcoholic mulled wine - 8 liters
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 10 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 8 bottles
- Still mineral water - 10 bottles
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Whipped cream - 12 aerosol cans
- Sugar - 5 kilo
- Sweeteners - 3 boxes
- Cinnamon - 3 jars
- Cloves - 2 bags
- Star anise - 2 bags
- Oranges - 5 kilos
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Raisins - 2 kilos
- Raisins - 2 kilos
- Christmas stollen - 8 pieces
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Mini rolls - 180 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Herb butter - 12 tubs
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Brie - 2 kilos
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Smoked chicken breast - 2 kilo
- Ham joint - 2 kilos
- Vegetarian slices - 2 kilo
- Cucumbers - 3 kilos
- Tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Arugula - 1 kilo
- Bell peppers - 2 kilos
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Olives - 3 jars
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 3 jars
- Pesto sauce - 2 jars
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Savory nuts - 8 bags
- Snacks - 8 bags
- Christmas cookies - 12 packs
- Spiced biscuits - 10 packs
- Brownies - 8 boxes
- Mini muffins - 8 boxes
- Marshmallows - 4 bags
- Chocolate shavings - 4 bags
- Mulled wine glasses - 150 pieces
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper plates - 250 pieces
- Wooden stirrers - 500 pieces
- Wooden forks - 300 pieces
- Wooden knives - 300 pieces
- Carry bags - 300 pieces
- Food containers - 40 pieces
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 box
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Paper table runners - 12 rolls
- Aluminum trays - 80 pieces

Tips

Count serving ware by the busiest expected sitting or serving period, not by the number of stalls. As a starting point, allow at least one reusable cup, coffee cup, plate and cutlery set per expected simultaneous user, plus 10–15% spare.
Arrange hot-drink equipment at least 3–5 days before the market. Check that you have enough thermos flasks for the first serving period and a separate supply of coffee cups for takeaway drinks.
Prepare signage before shopping is finished. Have one price list sign per main sales or serving area, and add table signs so visitors can identify stalls without stopping staff to ask.
Check decorations against the stall layout 2–3 days beforehand. Christmas garlands, wreaths, baubles, poinsettias and figures should be assigned to specific tables or areas rather than left for volunteers to distribute at the last minute.
Pack items by function and label each box: tableware, decorations, signage and stall equipment. Keep reusable cups, serving tongs and serving spoons together so they can reach the serving areas before food and drinks are set out.

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy for an ecumenical Christmas market?: Plan for stall and seating equipment, tableware, serving items, Christmas decorations, price and table signs, and crowd-control equipment. Add food, drinks and payment supplies based on confirmed registrations and the menu.
How many cups and plates do I need for a Christmas market?: Allow one of each required item per simultaneous user, then add 10–15% spare. For example, 100 expected simultaneous users means at least 110 cups or plates of the relevant type.
When should I buy supplies for an ecumenical Christmas market?: Buy non-perishable equipment and decorations at least 1–2 weeks in advance. Collect fresh produce and other perishable items as close to the market as practical, usually within 24 hours.
What do people often forget for a Christmas market?: Price list signs, serving tongs, serving spoons, change, thermos flasks and spare tableware are commonly missed. Check these 2–3 days before the event, then repeat the check when loading the venue.

Start this plan in Lizzt

Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.