Christmas tree sale and delivery

Outdoor: weather matters

Pre-sell fresh Christmas trees, often delivered (and collected in January) by members.

Typically raises

$1,500

$500–5,000 per campaignest.

About $86 per organiser hour

Is it right for us?

Money: $500–2,000
Work: Weeks, part-time
Helpers: 7–15 people
Lead time: 1–2 months
Red tape: Light

Uncommon: a seasonal service few groups offer

People: 4-12 incl. drivers
Organiser time: 10-25 hours (estimate)
Lead time: Orders open by late October; Devonport Scouts open orders 'by the end of October'
Up-front cost: Nothing up front. Nil with a supplier programme like Misa (bookings online); wholesale purchase if self-run
Risk: Low if pre-sold; medium if you buy trees to sell on spec.

Suits: Scouts or Guides

Less usual for: Primary or intermediate school, High school, Sports club or team, Community group, marae or service club

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Spring (Sep–Nov), Christmas

How big a job: Several weeks, part-time, 7–15 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result is about $1,500 per campaign.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Estimate. Example prices: $70 per tree (Aro Valley, 2020), $50 per tree (Auckland school via a tree supplier), $30 donation for cut wilding pines (Queenstown). Misa Christmas Trees says partner groups raise 'thousands of dollars'.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Choose a supplier programme or a wholesale grower (e.g. Misa, Apex Pines wholesale).
Set price and delivery area.
Open online orders with payment.
Close orders and order trees to the count.
Plan delivery runs by suburb.
Offer January collection of old trees as an add-on.
Thank the supplier.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Members to pass the order form to family, friends and workmates.
Ask people to buy: People to order before the cut-off.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: NeededYes, in writing
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling
Health and safety: CheckA simple risk check and briefing
Insurance: CheckCheck your cover

Only cut trees with the landowner's written permission. Plan driver and loading safety for youth members; check the group's insurance covers members' vehicles on deliveries.

Make more from it

Paid January collection of old trees
$10-20 a tree (estimate)
the same customers, a second service
Sell firewood or kindling with delivery
$200-1,000 (estimate)
same trailers, same delivery runs

Stack it: on its own, about $1,500. With the 2 priced add-ons above, roughly

$2,100est.

What you can get donated

Trees from a farmer clearing pines or wilding pines (with landowner permission); trailer and van use.

Tips

Devonport Scouts deliver to the door and offer to collect the dead tree in January.

Watch out for

Late ordering when growers sell out.

Sources

Researched October 2026. All fundraising ideas

* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide