Christmas at the Palace: these are the traditions of European royal families

Royal palace you go, Christmas traditions you find. Each royal family, during the holidays, has its own customs. And some have been repeated more or less identical from time immemorial. Last December, lawsuit Covid, did not go on stage. This year royals like all mortals hoped to be able to return to normal. The specter of the Omicron variant does not seem to want to allow this. For us mere mortals, however, the pandemic cannot stop us from daydreaming. Recalling the most evocative traditions that in “normal” times mark Christmas in the European courts. Those of the British royals are the best known. Of the family reunion a Sandringham we know a lot of details. Including the ceremony of the exchange of gifts that by specific order of Elizabeth II they must be cheap and fun. It seems that in Sandringham at Christmas there is also another bizarre custom that dates back to the early 1900s: The Queen weighs all its guests, before and after the holidays, on an ancient scale. But the goal is not to stay in line, on the contrary: putting on a kilo is an index of satisfaction. The sovereign wants to make sure that all have been properly fed.

On the other hand, the Windsors are not the only royals to pass on rather curious Christmas traditions. For example the queen of Margrethe of Denmark and his august relatives, on December 25th, they eat “backwards”: dessert first – a kind of rice pudding – then the salty: roast turkey or goose with caramelized potatoes and beets. While the little ones of the house – including twins Josephine e Vincent, sons of Prince Frederik and his wife Mary – on Christmas Eve they have a special task: to prepare bowls of rice porridge for Santa’s helpers.

Even the royals of Spain love a “domestic” Christmas. The royal family traditionally gathers at the Zarzuela already on the Eve, the so-called Nochebuena, to listen to the official speech of re Felipe e enjoy a cold buffet. A habit started by Queen Sofia so that employees could be with their families. On Christmas day all together at mass, followed by a sumptuous lunch. To unwrap the gifts, the appointment is postponed to the Epiphany. In the Netherlands, instead, Santa Claus arrives early (mid-November), traveling by boat. And to welcome him in the port of Amsterdam there are also the sovereigns William Alexander e Maxima Zorreguieta with their three daughters, the future queen Amalia, and her younger sisters, Alexia and Ariane. On Christmas Eve, the Dutch royals offer a banquet based rabbit with red cabbage, turkey stuffed with chestnut puree, gingerbread and oliebollen (large donuts stuffed with raisins). Then, in the following days, they enjoy a short one vacation.

Even for the Swedish royal family, it’s not Christmas without a big banquet. It is said that one of the favorite sweets Queen Silvia and the Weihnachtsstolle, a bread-shaped cake made with fruit, brandy and coffee. King Carl Gustav XVI has another weakness: the moment of the delivery of gifts. It seems that the sovereign enjoys perpetuating a game invented in the nineteenth century from his predecessor Gustavo V. The little ones of the house have to wait in line, outside the room where the gifts are kept, until it rings a silver bell. Only then can they enter and throw themselves on the gifts which, unlike what is said in many other parts of the world, they are not wrapped but arranged on a long table.

In other royal houses in Northern Europe the Christmas is just as fun: the heir to the throne of Norway, Haakon Magnus, a few years ago he let himself be immortalized while kneaded donuts, in the residence of Skaugum, with his wife Mette-Marit ei figli Marius Borg Hoiby, Ingrid Alexandra e Sverre Magnus.

For the Belgian royal family, however, Christmas is dedicated to sharing with their subjects. Gathered with great fanfare, Philip with his wife Mathilde, the retired King Albert II, the former Queen Paola, with children and grandchildren, they host the citizens closest to the crown for the traditional concert organized at the Palace. Also in the Principality of Monaco Christmas is dedicated to the subjects. In 1956 Princess Grace came up with the idea of invite less fortunate children to the Palace Grimaldi, for a party based on games, sweets and gifts. A tradition that in recent years has been kept alive by Alberto e Charlene. But the princess has been away from Monaco for months now: first blocked in South Africa by health problems, now recovering (or fleeing from her husband, as the gossip says) in a secret place, she did not even return to the Palace for the traditional delivery of gifts. To do its “substitutes” sons Jacques and Gabriella together with aunt Stéphanie, who with her seven-year-old grandchildren – in this very difficult year almost always lived without their mother – showed herself more loving than ever.