Starting the Tradition Of Putting Up A Christmas Tree
As the world gears up to welcome the festive season of Christmas, the royal family personally does their bit to decorate the tree and the house. It is known that Queen Mary was the one to have introduced the Christmas tree to the family, and since then, it has become a yearly tradition. The Queen, along with her family, stays in Sandringham House during Christmas and gives her personal touch to the tree there which makes the whole decoration a special meaning.
Celebrating Christmas At Sandringham House
Sandringham House is the private property of the Queen. It is the same place where her father, King George VI, and his father, George V, passed away. The entire estate is 20,000 acres, and the house itself is sprawled over 8,000 acres of land. During Christmas, the Queen and her family flock this grand estate and enjoy each other's company. Because of the Queen's love for dogs and horses, the house is known for both its dog and horse breeding programs. The house was famous earlier because the grounds were the best in England for recreational shooting.
Exchanging Gifts At Tea-Time
The British royal family exchanges gifts on Christmas eve and not during Christmas morning like the rest of the world. True to their German connection, the gifts are exchanged after they have had their extravagant afternoon tea. But seriously what do they give each other when it seems like they have it all? Well, we hear they like to exchange funny presents for each other. For example, Princess Kate got Prince Harry a "Grow Your Own Girlfriend" gag gift. It must be a lot of fun shopping for these hilarious presents!
Going To The Church As A Family
As a family, they all attend the morning mass service at the local St. Mary Magdalene's Church in Sandringham together. It is the same church that was once visited by Queen Victoria in the 16th century, who, if you must know, was the present Queen's great-great-grandmother. Well, to the British royal family, this time of the year is more than gifts but also giving thanks to the Almighty.
Greeting Card From The Royals
Friends and family members of the royals are bound to receive a lovely greeting card from the Queen and her husband, Prince Phillip. About 750 greetings cards are sent yearly, and they usually have a picture of the royal family signed by the Queen and her husband with a simple "Elizabeth R" and "Phillip" respectively. Prince Phillip also sends out 200 more cards to various regiments and organizations. Well, seems like a lot of work!
Christmas Puddings From The Queen
Aside from Sandringham House, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are also bedecked with lovely decorations to welcome the best festival of the year. As per tradition, the staff receives gifts from the Queen personally, and the shopping starts in March. Another tradition that has been going on for years is puddings for the staff. Each of them receives their Christmas pudding from the Queen which is accompanied by a small note from her. Aside from her staff, the Queen also donates money to several charities, and schools and churches within the Sandringham area receive Christmas trees!
Meghan Markle Breaking Traditions
The British royal family always insisted on having only family members to join them for their Christmas traditions every year. Kate Middleton got introduced to the family even before her marriage, but she got to spend the holiday season with them only when she got married. However, Princess Meghan, who was part of the TV series Suits where she played an attorney, has a way of breaking traditions like no other before her. When she got engaged to Prince Harry, she was invited to Sandringham Castle for some special family bonding with her future family.
Playing A Football Match
When there is a good gathering, can the English stay away from a football match? The young princes started this tradition years back. Usually, Prince William and Prince Harry would play against each other — they would even wear socks of their favorite teams. Oh, did you know that Prince William supports Aston Villa while Prince Harry is an Arsenal fan? However, in 2015 the two brothers played on the same side. We must say that that's a nice Christmas tradition to have! A good amount of exercise in the cold weather will do everyone a lot of good!
The Usual Routine On Christmas Day
We all have our own ways to celebrate December 25 — families have their own traditions and rituals that they follow religiously. As mentioned earlier, the royals reserve Christmas mornings to attend mass at St. Mary Magdalene's Church. Wonder if the kids join them or stay home with a babysitter? But before they get all dressed up in their Sunday's best, the entire family sits down together to have an authentic English breakfast. After the mass, they have a turkey roast for lunch. At 3:00 PM, the Queen is scheduled to give her yearly speech in front of her family. As for the supper, the royals insist on serving it themselves, so that the staff can take the night off.
The Queen's Trip To Kenya
Despite being a season of happiness, the holidays is also plagued with a hint of sadness for the royal family. When the Queen was 25, she and her husband, Prince Phillip, went on lots of trips, and one of them was to Kenya. While on the trip, she received news of her father King George VI's passing in Sandringham House. However, it was not a wrongful death for the King to die of a heart attack. Elizabeth had to rush back, take the oath, and wear the crown. It must have been all too overwhelming for the young Queen, but she showed perfect maturity at that time and did what was expected of her with grace.
How King George VI Became The King
King George VI sat on the throne of England from 1936 to 1952. He was the second son and his brother, Edward, was the natural choice for the crown when King George V passed away. But he abdicated the throne in order to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. Hence, George VI went on to become the next king. Perhaps the royal attorneys were called in to assess the situation, and while Edward's decision strayed from tradition, King George VI handled his brother's decision with a composed demeanor and carried the role of the King.
Going Through Hard Times
Like Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen mother was also deep in grief after losing her husband, but time heals everything, and we hope she was able to deal with the emotional stress throughout her lifetime. Both mother and daughter were thankful that the King had passed away so peacefully without any pain. The King was beloved, especially since the royal family stood by their subjects even during the war. As a monarch, the Queen did the same to boost her people's morale. Though she was a young mother, she put her children under the care of a babysitter in order to rule the country.
The Queen's Way Of Honoring Her Father
The Queen's way of honoring her father is commendable. She likes to take some time off from her regular duties and contemplate on her life during this time. She also likes to celebrate the anniversary of her ascension of the throne in private. Being always in the eye of the media might be tiring, yet the Queen shows no annoyance, handling everything with absolute grace. It must be refreshing spending a few days away from attorneys, advisers, and other professionals who usually keeps her busy.
The Queen's Christmas Message
The Queen's Christmas Message, erstwhile known as the King's Christmas Message, has been an age-old tradition that began during the reign of King George V when he was approached by the founder of BBC, John Reith. Starting in 1932, the message usually highlights every significant event that transpired throughout the year with a special focus on the Queen's personal milestones and feelings. This is the only instance where the Queen speaks all by herself without any advice from her ministers, keeping in mind the spirit of Christmas.
Being Thankful
Christmas is also the time to be thankful for all the good things life has given us. We are sure the Queen is just like us and feels happy to see her great-grandchildren all around the palace, giving the house a positive vibe. Apart from exchanging gifts, Christmas has a greater purpose to serve - bringing the family together and spreading the message of love, cheer, and happiness.
The Heartwarming Letter
After a month of her father's demise, the Queen wrote a letter to her father's secretary, Sir Eric Mieville. She explained how she missed her father more now that he was not around. She wrote, "It all seems so unbelievable still that my father is no longer here and it is only after some time has passed one begins to realize how much he is missed." His death was very much unexpected, and the Queen learned the ropes all by herself without her father to guide her through it. Thankfully, her son, Prince Charles, will not have to go through his ascent to the throne alone when his time comes. With the Queen, the royal advisers, and family law attorneys by his side, Prince Charles will surely be a fine ruler someday.
Including The Next Generation
In any household, kids definitely make the house livelier — nobody can deny that! Becoming a great-grandmother has definitely made the Queen happier than ever. The excitement that the kids exude is no match for the adults. This year, there will be many kids in the house - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall, Savannah, and Isla Phillips. Since Princess Meghan is expecting, there will be another new member joining them next year. The impending birth of the baby must be a very joyous event for every member of the British royal family.
Making The Staff Part Of Christmas Celebrations
The royal family must have an entire team of professionals consisting of attorneys, financial advisors, managers, chefs, and housekeeping staff. The Queen makes sure that none of them are forgotten during the holidays as she also buys presents for everyone well in advance. It is that time of the year when even the staff of Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle can let their hair down.
The Black Tie Dinner On Christmas Eve
Well, everybody wants to put on their best clothes for Christmas, and it doesn't seem festive if you don't dress up at all! Hence, a black-tie dinner on Christmas eve keeps the royals busy. The men look dapper in black ties and suits, while the women get to flaunt their stunning gowns and pieces of jewelry. It goes without saying that the cost of those pieces can easily steer us, common people, towards bankruptcy!
What's For Christmas Dinner?
As mentioned before, the royals have turkey for Christmas dinner. However, it comes with a delectable side of lobster or shrimp. Things are kept very traditional, and the meal ends with Christmas pudding with brandy butter. As for the drinks before the meal, the Queen loves Zaza, a gin cocktail, while Prince Charles prefers Cherry brandy. And interestingly, the menu is usually written in French, just like every other menu Your Highness orders when she eats.
Shopping At Harrod's
We hear the Queen loves to shop at Harrod's for Christmas! From baby clothes to Christmas-themed pullovers, chocolates, and pieces of jewelry available at this renowned department store - we wonder what she buys. Though it is no secret that the royals are used to giving each other silly gifts that are often cheap. We're sure the Queen has a grand old time picking gifts for everyone, from her family to her staff. Not to forget that she has a number of grandchildren who must be waiting to get goodies from their grandmother apart from the usual presents.
An Entire Train Carriage For The Queen
Going to Sandringham every year, the Queen has her own traditions throughout the journey, too! The Sandringham House is in Norfolk which is about 90 minutes from London by train. Did you know that the Queen prefers to take the local train to Norfolk? She's so cool! However, since she travels with a lot of people, the royal family ends up booking an entire carriage of the train when they travel to their Christmas house. Well, that's regal!
The Rest Of The Family Arrives On Christmas Eve
The rest of the family is expected to arrive on Christmas Eve, much before the afternoon tea. As mentioned before the royals are particular about maintaining their traditions plus, the gifts are exchanged right after tea time. As the guests arrive, they are supposed to keep their gifts discreetly on the trestle table in the house's big red room. The last to arrive are usually Prince Charles and the Duchess Of Cornwall. Sounds like a lot of fun, especially the gift part!
Hosting Parties Throughout The Season
Christmas is the time to get together with close family and friends, and like everyone else, that's exactly what the royals do. But they understand the responsibility they have towards the common people, too. Hence, they host parties throughout the season. Some of them are for friends, while others are for charitable causes. Recently, Prince William and Princess Kate hosted a party for the wives and children of deployed military personnel. They also made gifts for the children of the RAF families who are fighting ISIS. Highly commendable, we say!
Donating To The Local Charities
To spread the good cheer of the season, the Queen donates to the local charities of Windsor. She also sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, St. Giles Cathedral, and Canongate Kirk. Aside from these, the churches and the schools of Sandringham also get a tree from the Queen herself. The British royal family makes sure to spread happiness and joy in every way they can.
Christmas Trees Galore For The Queen
For common people like us, finding one good Christmas tree and shopping for gifts is enough to burn a hole in our wallets. But for the Queen and her multiple palaces, this season is the time to go that extra mile and make things shine. Hence, the palaces and the royal houses and castles are decorated lavishly, and multiple Christmas trees are put up. For the Sandringham house itself, there are two trees with jaw-dropping ornaments. In Buckingham Palace, three massive trees have been put up this year. It also helps to remember that the Christmas tree tradition was popularized by Queen Charlotte and later on, by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
A Game Of Charades On Christmas Day
Oh, did you know about this bedtime rule for the royals during Christmas? Apparently, they have to play charades till midnight or till Her Highness is appeased. Well, you can't really go against the Queen, can you? This year, erstwhile TV actress Meghan Markle will be playing charades with the royals, her very first since becoming Prince Harry's wife. As far as we know, the Queen is a great impersonator, and she spends valuable time with her entire clan till midnight.
Will The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Join The Family This Time?
The Internet was buzzing with rumors that the royal sisters-in-law were not on good terms this year, and so, it was assumed that the Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge might be spending their Christmas with the Middletons. But thanks to a confirmation from a reliable source, we learned that William and Kate are joining the rest of the family in Sandringham House. If you ask us, the two gorgeous ladies will have a lot to talk about for one is about to become a mother, and the other has already learned the ropes of motherhood with her three kids. We think, apart from baby-rearing tips, they might also touch base on birth control; after all, Princess Kate is like her sister now!
Weird Gifts Given By The Members Of The Royal family
The quirky gifts that the royals buy for each other seemed so hilarious that we had to make more space for it. Incidentally, Princess Diana didn't know about the jokey gift tradition when she got married, so she bought everyone cashmere sweaters and mohair scarves. Everyone was amused nonetheless! So how bad or funny are the gifts? Well, Prince Harry once gave the Queen, her grandmother, a hat that said: "Ain't Life A B****", and she loved it! Princess Anne gave her brother, Prince Charles, a leather toilet seat, and he remains fond of it to this day. Well, we hope nobody gets offended and hires their family law attorney for the Queen herself to approve of this weird tradition.
Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Has A Beautiful Greeting Card
Keeping up with the tradition of sending greeting cards with their own picture, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to use a picture from their wedding which, we must say, is breathtaking. The picture was not published to the media when their wedding took place, so it came as a nice surprise. The couple is seen here from their backs as they both watch the sky lit up with fireworks. It has been an amazing year for the couple who got married in May, and in October, they announced that another royal baby is on its way! Now the world is waiting for their child's birth this spring.
The Casual Family Photo Of The Cambridges
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on the other hand, preferred to have a cheerful and casual family photo for their greeting card this year. The picture was taken in front of their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk, and as seen in the photo, the family is all smiles surrounded by greenery. As netizens started dissecting the picture, drawing conclusions like Princess Charlotte was wearing Prince George's old sweater or how for the first time George is seen wearing full pants, we can't help but notice the showstopper - Prince Louis. And seriously, people, they don't have to buy baby clothes all the time for little Louis. What's the harm if Princess Charlotte wears a hand-me-down?
A Bedtime Story From Prince Of Wales Himself
One of the most iconic Christmas novels is probably A Christmas Carol. And since the perfect season to read the book has already arrived, heir-apparent Prince Charles did something that speaks volumes of how much he loves this time of the year. Since he is a patron of London's Old Vic Theater, he read an excerpt from Charles Dickens' classic story to kickstart the theater's annual Christmas Advent Calendar Countdown!
The Only Time The Queen Offers A Drink To The Head Chef
During Christmas dinner, the royal head chef personally carves the turkey for the Queen. It is a tradition to offer the head chef a drink once it is done. This is the only time the Queen does it, and the rest of the family toasts the chef, too. It is truly nice of them to make their staff feel so good and offer them their due respect. They know whom to honor, and that is where they are a class apart.
Prince George's Own Christmas Tradition
While the Queen has her own set of traditions that need to be followed during the festive season, the royal kids have found their own sweet customs to practice. Carole Middleton, who is Duchess Kate's mother, recently confessed that she loves to put Christmas trees in the rooms of her grandchildren, and she ensures the kids get their own tree so that they can decorate it all by themselves. That's really sweet! For it doesn't matter how much hardened you have become with age or your profession. You can be an attorney or a policeman, but when it is time to put up the tree, everyone loves to decorate — young or old!
The Queen Loves Candies
Former Royal Chef - Darren McGrady - said that the Queen is a chocoholic, and she is okay with “anything we put on the menu that had chocolate.” Of course, she knows what is good for her and only settles for the dark, bitter kind that is packed with the goodness of rich anti-oxidants. For everyday snacking, she will always choose one that has 60% or higher; Bendicks Bittermint is one of her favorites. The ingredients say that the candies are 95% cacao dark chocolate fondant with intense mint filling. Sounds royal, for sure! If you are looking for gifts, this might make someone feel like royalty!
A Relaxing Movie Night
It is hard to imagine the royal family as a normal family like ours. But at the end of the day, they are just like us minus the fancy palaces and the scare of bankruptcy! Hence, on Christmas day, after attending mass, having dinner, and listening to the Queen's speech, the family settles down to watch a movie in the ballroom of Sandringham House. The ballroom is a lovely room that houses the weapon collection from times forgotten which might be the perfect setting for watching scary movies, but we're sure they prefer feel-good movies during this time of the year!
How Meghan Won Over The Queen Last Year
Despite not being part of the family, Meghan got the drift of the quirky gifting tradition of the royals and took her time shopping for the perfect witty gift for her grandma-in-law. Guess what she bought for her? A singing hamster! The Queen must have been amused with it, and with this kind of tradition, the royal household must have a lot of fun and laughter during Christmas!
What Does The Palace Staff Get for Christmas?
We have already told you how the staff is included in the Christmas celebrations. Apart from Christmas pudding, they are entitled to gifts such as gift cards ranging from £20 to £35; they might also get books. They are called to one of the state apartments in Buckingham Palace. Apart from material things, they are also honored by acknowledging their achievements throughout the year.
The Queen's Rules About Opening Gifts
The Queen's rules about the gifts are not written anywhere but is as good as that. Everyone needs to follow them strictly every year, without exception. The rules are as follows: nobody is to open their gifts unless Prince Phillip gives his permission since he is in charge of the presents. Moreover, these gifts need to be quirky and extremely cheap - in fact, the cheaper the better! Don't you wish we all had the same rules in our household?
Queen's First-Ever Televised Christmas Speech
The Queen ascended the throne in 1952, but five years had passed before her Christmas speech was televised for the first time — it was definitely a historical moment. It also happened to be her grandfather King George V's 25th anniversary of delivering the Christmas speech. It was also broadcasted in Commonwealth nations across the world. The monarchy has changed remarkably since then and has undoubtedly tried to adapt to modern ways.
Will A New Guest Join The Family This Year?
Rumor has it that a new guest is going to join the royals this year. She is none other than Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, who was seen during the Royal Wedding earlier this year in May. The Queen herself had invited Doria to spend Christmas at the Sandringham House, but reports say that she had politely declined the invitation. Instead, she wants to spend a quiet Christmas in California. However, it is rare for anyone outside the family to spend Christmas with the royals, and Doria Ragland must definitely feel honored at the moment.
Queen's Favorite Christmas Show On TV
The Queen has repeatedly showered her love on the TV show, EastEnders. We hear it is the Queen's night-time guilty pleasure. And that makes us wonder if she will let go of it during the season of Christmas? Certainly not, for a Queen can do as she pleases! We hear that she even makes others watch it with her. As a former TV actress, Meghan might just enjoy watching this show with the Queen, and spending time together is one of the greatest gifts they can give each other for Christmas!
The Demise Of The Queen's Father
King George VI passed away on February 6, 1952. It was a huge shock for young Elizabeth, and she didn't even have enough time to grieve properly as she had to perform her new duties as Queen. Since she was next in line for the crown, all the responsibilities were put on those young shoulders. Despite the profound grief, she continued with her work and didn't complain at all — the world saw the birth of a new Queen.
Why The Queen Leaves The Decorations Till February
Earlier, the tradition was to have a 12-day holiday for Christmas which means that the decorations should be taken down by January 6 to signify the end of holiday festivities. Breaking that tradition, the Queen leaves the decorations on till February 6. She does this in order to honor the memory of her father. She has made this her own personal tradition, and we don't see any bad luck following her, considering the fact that she is still the monarch and is in her nineties. That makes us wonder if the Queen has a life insurance policy in her name!