12 Royal Family Christmas Traditions You Probably Didn't Know

Just like every other family, the royals also have their own set of special Christmas traditions — including charades and pre-Christmas lunches.

Many of the royal family's Christmas traditions are centuries old, dating back to Victorian times. The Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas and New Year at Sandringham House, however Christmases during the sixties were celebrated at Windsor Castle, where the royal family spends Easter.

Below are some of the royal family Christmas traditions they have celebrated over the years...


They attend a Christmas Day church service

All members of the royal family attend the morning service on Christmas Day at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. The church dates back to the sixteenth century and was originally visited by Queen Victoria.

royal family christmas traditions
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They send hundreds of Christmas cards

Each festive season the monarchs send hundreds of Christmas cards. According to the royal's official website, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would send around 750 Christmas cards, which featured a family photo, every year.

london, england december 11 the 2022 christmas card of king charles iii and the queen consort in front of a christmas tree in clarence house, london, on december 11, 2022 in london, england the photograph was taken at the braemar games on the 3rd september 2022 by samir hussein photo jonathan brady wpa poolgetty images
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They have multiple Christmas trees

A tradition that goes back to the nineteenth century, when it was popularised by Queen Victoria, three fir trees are brought to the Marble Hall in Buckingham Palace each year.

In the past, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren would help to decorate one of the trees, as the Queen confirmed in her 2015 Christmas Speech.

december 1848 the royal christmas tree is admired by queen victoria, prince albert and their children photo by hulton archivegetty images
Hulton Archive - Getty Images


The Queen would gift staff around 1,500 Christmas puddings

Queen Elizabeth II would gift around 1,500 members of staff – from those in the Palaces, to those in the Palace police and Court Post Office – a Christmas pudding each year. This was a tradition that both her father, King George VI and her grandfather, George V, did before her.

london, united kingdom in this undated image supplied by sky news, queen elizabeth ii sits at a desk in the 1844 room at buckingham palace, after recording her christmas day broadcast to the commonwealth at buckingham palace, london photo by john stillwell wpa pool getty images
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They host Christmas parties

Members of the royal family are patrons to a number of different charities and during the festive season they throw Christmas parties to support the causes closest to their hearts.

In 2022 Her Majesty, Camilla, The Queen Consort served Christmas lunch to children to help decorate the Christmas tree.

london, england december 7 her majesty, camilla, the queen consort helps to serve lunch for children at clarence house on december 7, 2022 in london, england the queen consort supported by helen douglas house and roald dahls marvellous childrens charity to decorate the christmas tree and receive a few festive surprises photo by paul grover wpa poolgetty images
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They gift Christmas trees across the country

As well as donating money to several charities in Windsor each Christmas, the Queen would also gift Christmas trees across the UK. From Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, to St. Giles' Cathedral and the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, churches and schools in the Sandringham area would also receive a tree from Her Majesty.

london december 08 chelsea pensioners at the royal hospital chelsea, admire the newly installed christmas tree donated from the queens windsor great park on december 8, 2008 in london, england each year the queen donates christmas trees from her crown estate which manages, amongst other rural areas, the windsor great park where the trees are grown the recipients of the donated trees include westminster abbey and the royal hospital chelsea photo by oli scarffgetty images
Oli Scarff - Getty Images


They have a Christmas luncheon the week before Christmas

The royal family gather the week before Christmas for their annual Christmas luncheon.

royal family christmas traditions
Tim Graham - Getty Images


Presents are exchanged on Christmas Eve

Gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve – following Prince Albert's tradition. And as Prince Harry revealed in his memoir, Spare, gifts would be laid out on a "long table covered with white cloth and white name cards," ready for them to open after afternoon tea. This follows the German Christmas tradition.

original caption christmas at windsor castle is shown here with queen elizabeth ii and prince philip shown putting finishing touches to christmas tree, in a photo made recently during the filming of the joint itv bbc film documentary, the royal family
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They had a Christmas Eve kick around

A royal Christmas tradition of years past would involve Princes William and Harry donning their football strips for a festive kick around on the Sandringham Estate on 24th December alongside members of the staff.

Perhaps Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will one day carry on the tradition.

kings lynn, england december 24 prince william, duke of cambridge and prince harry play football in the annual sandringham football match at sandringham on december 24, 2015 in kings lynn, england photo by danny e martindalegc images
Danny E. Martindale - Getty Images


They attend a black-tie dinner on Christmas Eve

The royal family also attend a black-tie dinner the night before Christmas.

us president donald trump r raises a glass to toast with britains prince charles, prince of wales during a dinner at winfield house, the residence of the us ambassador, where us president trump is staying whilst in london, on june 4, 2019, on the second day of the us presidents three day state visit to the uk us president donald trump turns from pomp and ceremony to politics and business on tuesday as he meets prime minister theresa may on the second day of a state visit expected to be accompanied by mass protests photo by chris jackson pool afp photo credit should read chris jacksonafp via getty images
Chris Jackson - Getty Images


The monarch's Christmas Day speech is pre-recorded

Even though we all gather around to tune into the monarch's Christmas Day speech, it is actually filmed a few weeks prior to the big day.

The Christmas speech was first broadcast via radio by King George V in 1932, while the Queen saw the transition from radio to TV during her reign.

royal family christmas traditions
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They play a game of charades after Christmas lunch

Reportedly the Windsors play a game of charades after Christmas lunch. Other activities include jigsaw puzzles or a movie projected onto a screen in the ballroom, according to Good Housekeeping.

royal family christmas traditions
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