How the royal family spends Christmas Eve - from exchanging presents to 'finishing touches' on the tree
The monarchy has some traditions on the eve of December 25It’s Christmas Eve and families up and down the country will be preparing for the festivities – but how does the royal family spend the day?
Members of the royal family spend the festive period on the Sandringham Estate. This year, reports claim King Charles will host one of the “biggest ever” Christmases with more than 40 members of the family in attendance.
But before the big day, how do the royals spend Christmas Eve? Let’s take a look…
How the royal family spends Christmas Eve
Of course, it’s not known what the family does throughout the whole of Christmas Eve and some traditions may have changed.
However, some experts have provided insight on some things the royals tend to do to mark the occasion.
The whole family gathered to open gifts on Christmas Eve.
According to former royal butler Paul Burrell – who was the late Princess Diana’s butler for 10 years before her death in 1997 – opened up about how the family opens presents on Christmas Eve.
The royal family website states: “On Christmas Eve, the royal family lay out their presents on trestle tables and will exchange their gifts at teatime.”
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Paul revealed: “What do you buy for someone who has everything? You buy them something practical and useful. Something that won’t be put into a cupboard and won’t be regifted. Even the royals regift and have gift cupboards of their own.
Royals exchange gifts on Christmas Eve
“Charles is very easy to buy for, you could buy him some gardening gloves, bulbs or seeds for his garden, things he would appreciate and use, simple things. Something inexpensive, it’s only a thought, that’s all it’s meant to be.
“Their presents in the drawing room on Christmas Eve will be jokey or simple. The more simple the better.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry himself has spoken about the gift giving on the eve of Christmas.
Writing in his 2023 memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex said: “The whole family gathered to open gifts on Christmas Eve, as always, a German tradition that survived the anglicising of the family surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
“We were at Sandringham in a big room with a long table covered with white cloth and white name cards. By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents.
“Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
Reports claim that the royals exchange presents after afternoon tea at Sandringham.
It’s said they gather in the red drawing room around teatime, where gifts have been laid out for each family member. Usually, the gifts are funny or homemade.
Some gifts rumoured to have been exchanged over the years are pretty amusing. Kate, Princess of Wales, reportedly once gifted her brother-in-law Harry a “Grow Your Own Girlfriend” kit before he met his now wife Meghan Markle.
Meanwhile, Harry apparently gifted his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II a shower cap which had “ain’t life a [bleep]” across it.
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Finishing touches on the royal Christmas tree
Another tradition the royal family reportedly follows on Christmas Eve is putting the finishing touches on the tree.
According to royal commentator Robert Jobson, the grandchildren and great-grandkids do this.
Read more: King Charles to break tradition with 2024 Christmas speech as he ‘films it in hospital chapel’
He told the Express in 2021: “Royals have done it every year since. On Christmas Eve when all the clan are together, the queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren put the finishing touches to the 20ft Christmas tree in the White Drawing Room.”
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