Do YOU share this Christmas tradition with royals George, Charlotte and Louis?
As we approach the festive season there’s much talk of planning, shopping and tradition – and this royal approach to gift-giving caught our eye.
A Christmas Eve tradition
The Royal Family have revealed a little more about how Christmas pans out at their place – and that they don’t wait until Christmas Day to open their gifts.
It’s a tradition the tiniest royals must be thrilled about because they shave one whole day off the usual very exciting gift-opening wait.
“On Christmas Eve, The Royal Family lay out their presents on trestle tables and will exchange their gifts at teatime,” the Royal.UK website reveals.
via the Royal Family
Tea time treats
It’s an early start to the festive celebrations and we’re not gonna lie, afternoon tea sounds pretty splendid too. Word from the Palace is that treats like mince tarts (recipe here), chocolate roulade and Jammy Dodgers are top of the pops with this well-to-do gang. Gingerbread people are also on the menu.
“You can even use them to hang on the Christmas tree. The biscuits are sturdy enough to hold a ribbon and the best thing is they last a while – so you can make them in advance,” royal Chef de Partie and gingerbread person maker Victoria Scupham says.
Christmas and New Year are spent at Sandringham House, where the family apparently strolls around the grounds after tea to walk off the treats and make room for dinner.
via the Royal Family
On Christmas Day they attend a church service together. The littlest royal children usually don’t attend, but it’s suggested that Prince George might be grown-up enough to pop along with William and Kate – and Uncle Harry and Aunty Meg – this year.
The service is held at St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, a 16th-century country church once attended by the Queen’s Great-Great-Grandmother Queen Victoria.
Read more about the royal family:
- Prince Louis and Duchess Kate are uncanny twins in new pics
- How the royals included Princess Diana in Prince Charles’ birthday celebrations
- Cute new photos of the royal family pop up online (including Prince Louis!)
Puddings and presents
The gift-giving actually commences way ahead of Christmas Eve.
“All members of The Royal Household will receive Christmas presents from The Queen, and Her Majesty will personally hand out presents to some members of The Royal Household at Buckingham Palace and at Windsor Castle,” a royal spokesperson says.
The Queen also gives Christmas puddings to her staff, a tradition carried on from her father, King George VI and her grandfather, George V. The Queen buys around 1500 Christmas puddings and gives them to staff throughout the Palaces, along with a Christmas card from The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
via the Royal Family
The royal Christmas tree
The royals first started having a Christmas tree when George III’s wife Queen Charlotte introduced it. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert then embraced this festive tradition with gusto and “helped spread the popularity throughout the country”, the royal family’s website says.
“Today, The Queen and members of her family will usually put the final touches on their Christmas tree.”
We know that’s true because the Queen recently chatted to Sir David Attenborough about her grandchildren’s enthusiasm for baubles.
“The children love knocking those off. Well my great-grandchildren do, anyway they enjoy themselves.”
“The great thing is to make them decorate it and they’re a bit more careful,” she suggested. “It always looks jolly.”
Wise words from the Queen herself. #YassQueeeen
Now let’s look at that beautiful photo of Prince Charles and Prince Louis again …