A Royal Xmas 17 Secret Holiday Rituals You Had No Idea Happen In Buckingham Palace

As the holidays approach and we gear up to dress our houses in festive decorations, we're excited by the joyous season. Whether you're one to sing carols, bake cookies, or mull wine, the holidays bring out the best in everyone and act as an excuse to bust out some favourite traditions that hold a very special place in all our hearts. Some people enjoy the food, some enjoy the gifts, while some simply enjoy being surrounded by family and friends. For the Royals, they too enjoy a long list of traditions that are both familiar and foreign to normal families.

In addition to the Queen choosing to indulge in some chocolate on Christmas Day (apparently she's quite the chocoholic who has a preference for mint and dark varieties), her Royal Highness and her Royal family participate in many entertaining and heartwarming activities during the holidays, but not all of them are quite like you'd expect.

The secret traditions that carry out among the Royal family in the final days of December are ones that we would have never had the luxury of knowing if it weren't for a former chef who worked for the family for many years, and whose time was also spent among them throughout the holidays. It is because of his revealing interviews that we now know what traditions the Queen, Prince William and Princess Kate (along with their children) and Prince Harry enjoy each year.

17 The Queen Mails Out Over 800 Christmas Cards Every Year

As each holiday season rolls around, Queen Elizabeth II will personally sign over eight hundred Christmas cards for family members, staff, and state officials alike. Depending on the recipient, the Queen will use a different sign-off to finalize the card. For heads of state or politicians, she'll use "Elizabeth R." to wrap up the festive message. To friends, it's simply "Elizabeth". And for family members who are exceptionally close to her, like cousins, she ends her card with "Lilibet", a nickname that was given to her as a child. Because there are so many cards to mail out, she starts the tradition early by heading to Balmoral Castle in the summer and using her warm holidays as an opportunity to get to work on the epic stack of personalized notes.

16 The Extended Family Is Hosted At The Palace Earlier In December

While only the closest of family members are invited to the festivities that take place over the days surrounding Christmas, the Royal family always makes sure to plan a lavish, holiday-themed event for the rest of the extended family in the weeks leading up to the special day. Usually held during the first or second week of December, Buckingham Palace plays host to around fifty guests that include cousins, aunts, and uncles of the Royal family. They are all invited to dine together on a feast worthy of any Royal family member and they toast each other to another happy holiday. This event marks the last event of the season to be held in the dining room of the infamous palace.

15 The Family Leaves Buckingham Palace To Spend The Holidays At Sandringham Estate

Each year, without question, Christmas is spent away from Buckingham Place and is enjoyed among family at the Sandringham Estate, a roughly two and a half hour drive from the heart of London. And while some Royal family members may choose to drive their luxury sedan, the Queen opts to take public transportation and hops a train to the rural town in Norfolk county. This peasant-like voyage is made every year, but not without pulling a few strings on the Queen's behalf. Her people make sure to rent out seats for a whole carriage so that her Royal Highness may travel in privacy and peace. The train ticket alone costs a modest £54.90 (or $83), which is more than worth the country views she'll see before arriving nearly a week before others are set to arrive at the Royal dwelling.

14 Everyone Contributes An Ornament To The Royal Christmas Tree

One tradition that is both humble and inclusive is the one that surrounds the creation of the Royal Christmas tree. Though you'd assume that there would be people to craft the gorgeous tree for them, they regularly choose to take matters into their own hands when it comes to handling the family's Royal ornaments. As such, every family member is granted the luxury of hanging the Christmas baubles upon the lucky evergreen that was chosen to stand proud among a family of Royals. We're not sure what kind of ornaments exist for them that they would want to hang them delicately and at their own merit (rumour has it that they include glass angels owned by Queen Victoria), but we're sure that they hold some sentimental value, especially since little Prince George wasn't allowed to participate in the tradition in past years. This year, however, the family has deemed him old enough to handle one.

13 They Serve Tea & Snacks During The Late Afternoon On Christmas Day

As the family participates in the hanging of the ornaments on Christmas Day, edibles are dispersed among the intricately-designed tables that fill Sandringham Estate in the late afternoon. Since the day is completely filled with traditions (and to-do's!), 4pm is the only time to squeeze in such a long-enjoyed English tradition. Tea and snacks act as the only casual time to pop a few nibbles into your mouth before carrying on to the next mandatory Royal tradition. As a former chef has claimed, this spread includes munchies that are to be shaped like old English coins. As such, sandwiches are carefully cut to the size of a penny to replicate one of the Queen's favourite snacks, the "jam penny". Scones are also required to be shaped down to the size of a fifty-pence piece (which is a fave item of the Queen's corgis).

12 On Christmas Eve, They Hand Out Cheap Gifts That Are Meant For A Laugh

Since the Royal family is without a care in the world when it comes to money, everything they could ever want is accessible to them year round, making giving any Christmas gifts pointless. Since they're well aware of their lavish lifestyle, their Christmas gift-giving tradition is surprisingly humble. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on jewellery or designer clothing, the family chooses to keep the gift spending limit to £10 or less. Aside from that frugal limit, they also have to be mindful of the gift's primarily intention: to get a laugh from the recipient. In previous years, Princess Kate gave her brother-in-law, Prince Harry a "Grow Your Own Girlfriend" kit, while Harry gave his grandmother a shower cap that read, "Ain't life a b*tch". Other gifts have included a light-up pepper grinder, leather toilet seat, a beanie, and a Winnie the Pooh-themed china set.

11 Prince Harry & Prince William Play Soccer On Christmas Eve For Charity

As the famous Royal brothers age over the years, their spirited nature has given way to new traditions surrounding the holidays. For the Royal family, this includes a jolly old game of soccer on the eve of Christmas. The game is played on the acreage that is Sandringham Estate and invites locals from the nearby town of Castle Rising and workers at the estate to compete against each other. Both Prince Harry and Prince William take part in the match and usually play on opposite teams from each other. One year, Kate's brother was invited to play in the friendly match. The princes usually sport socks or jerseys from their favourite teams as Kate and other family members act as spectators. It proves to be just the bout of exercise they need before enjoying a bountiful Christmas Eve feast!

10 The Family Has A Late Christmas Dinner At 8:30 pm

On Christmas Day, the family all sits down to a lovely, hearty meal fit for the tummy's of Royal descendants. And since their special day is scheduled to a tee, the only time that's made available for this enjoyable meal is at 8:30pm. At that time, family members gather around the modest dining table and serve-up either pheasant or venison and a selection of epically-prepared and delicious root vegetables. In addition to eating from fabulous dinnerware, they make a toast to the holidays from crystal stemware that has been monogrammed with "E11R", which stands for "Elizabeth II Regina" (with 'regina' acting as the Latin word for 'Queen'). Afterwards, we can only assume that the family retreats to their sleeping quarters to pass out from the abundant joy.

9 Guests Have Been Known To Bring Their Own Food & Even Dishes

When it comes to Royal traditions, this family proves that they're just as down-to-earth (in some regards) as most families. As such, family members are encouraged to contribute to the Christmas dinner, as only select game and vegetables are provided. To build up the holiday menu, a potluck style is implemented and guests play by the BYOB (or BYO anything) rule. Sometimes items like hand-picked plums or flatware are brought to the dining table, making the whole event one that feels more on par with our modest Western traditions. This tradition is one that is respectable and unexpected for a family who has staff waiting on them hand and foot, year after year, but as information has come forth, we now know that the Queen and her family gifts her staff with the evening off, which is not only thoughtful, but loving.

8 Every Year, The Family Goes To Church On Christmas Morning

Like most religious, or spiritual, families, Christmas marks a time of year where it is common to gather at the local church to pray, sing, and bestow warm wishes among the congregation. Overall, it is a time to bless those around us, including the families who live among our homes. The Royals are no different and regularly attend not one, but two church services on Christmas Day. The first one is held at 9am and is a relaxed, private, and informal event for the Queen and her family. After the Queen accepts communion, the family retreats back to Sandringham Estate to change into more formal attire before walking as a family towards the 11am public service. The Queen is escorted in a vehicle, usually accompanied by a grandchild or her daughter-in-law, Sophie. This tradition is upheld by putting the church locals through gruelling security clearances in the fall before granting them access to attend on the festive day.

7 On Christmas Eve, The Queen & Her Family Enjoy Cocktails

Now this is a tradition we're sure plays out in every home! Tradition or not, there are not many homes that we know of that are without wine, brandy, Bailey's, egg nog, or some other alcoholic bevvy to warm our hearts and souls to among family and friends during the holidays. It's a tradition that carries out among families worldwide, and it totally includes the Royal family. Paired with a black-tie dinner, family members cheers each other with their favourite cocktails. For the Queen, she chooses to sip on a drink called the Zaza, which consists of Dubonnet and gin. Prince Charles prefers to swig on some cherry brandy, while Prince Harry and Prince William tend to enjoy the Sandringham cider, which is produced on the Estate's grounds.

6 The Queen Is Always The First One Served ALWAYS

During the Christmas Day lunch, which is hosted by staff members across a buffet-style table, the Royals must line up to be served with their turkey and brussel sprouts, but not before the Queen has taken her share of the spread. No matter the occasion, even Christmas Day, the Queen must always be the first one presented with food. While it's not that big of a deal, it is also said that the guests must pay close attention to the way the Queen carries out the eating of her meal, since they must replicate her every move. If she's only partially done her plate, no one else should be close to finishing. As such, when she has decided it is time to finish eating, her end dictates the end of everyone's meal. And since the Queen is not much of a foodie, guests shouldn't be hopeful when it comes to leaving satisfied.

5 The Head Chef Always Carves The First Turkey & Is Rewarded With A Drink

During the lunch that is served on Christmas Day, the cooking staff must prepare three traditionally-dressed twenty-five pound turkeys, along with other fixings such as potatoes, carrots, and pudding. It is a custom that the head chef is given the honour of carving the first turkey for the family, an event that any personal chef would covet. After the turkey is carved, the Queen gifts the chef with a whiskey and a well-deserved "thank you" - a gratitude that is expressed not only for the Christmas meal, but for all his hard work throughout the year - before allowing him to toast her family. After the toast, the staff is excused for the remainder of the day so that they can enjoy the rest of the occasion with their families.

4 The Queen Addresses The Nation Each Year At 3pm On Christmas Day

While it's not much of a tradition for the family as it is for the nation, the Queen takes part in a special annual broadcast that wishes her country (and the world) a warm-hearted holiday and wraps up the details of the past year. This broadcast is aired every Christmas Day at 3pm (or 10am EST), and it is at this time that the family gathers around the Royal television to see her Royal Highness' festive address. This is the welcomed opportunity to relax post-lunch and enjoy each other's company without being surrounded by a congregation or silver cutlery. Her Christmas message has taken place each year since 1952, which was first carried out over the radio airways and introduced to television in 1957.

3 After The Family Watches The Queen On TV, They Finally Take Some Time To Relax

Between the Royal address and the late-evening dinner, the family takes some time to bond together while participating in a selection of relatively normal activities. During this time, snacks and tea are set out for guests to serve themselves at their leisure. While the family is free to spend the time as they like, most choose to play jigsaw puzzles (the Queen's favourite pastime), exercise on the Estate's property (likely to make room for the evening feast), or sit down to a movie in the ballroom, which is presented across a pull-down wall. These specific traditions are all very common to most families, as many spend Christmas Day enjoying the same kind of activities with each other, but probably not quite as elegantly as a family of Royals might.

2 The Family Participates In A Boxing Day Shoot

In the day following Christmas, the Royals are still engaged in spending ample time with one another. Boxing Day for the Royals means busting out the big guns and spending some time outdoors to participate in the annual shoot. The family all heads to Wood Farm (which is a small cottage located at the Sandringham Estate) and prepare their shotguns and rifles to search the surrounding woodlands for pheasant or partridge. Apparently, the family must pay to shoot the birds, which could total upwards of two hundred deceased fowl, and cost nearly £10,000. While this tradition is certainly unlike any of ours, it's one that's long been in effect for the conventional family, and one that has long been enjoyed by Prince Philip.

1 The Queen Keeps Her Christmas Decorations Up Long After The Holidays

Like most of us, the Queen keeps her Christmas decorations up long after the holidays have reached their end. While most of us tend to keep them around throughout January, the Queen doesn't touch a single ornament until the first week of February. And while it's easy to do on the occasional year by simply being too busy or lazy, the Queen keeps the holidays going year after year and chooses to pack it all away no sooner than February 6th. To pay tribute to her father, who frequented Sandringham Estate every Christmas and who died on that very same date in February, the Queen honours his memory and love of the season by maintaining the spirit until the anniversary of his death, which is a much more acceptable reason than most families.

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