Exploring the Royal Christmas Tradition of Gift-Giving

The British Royal Family, known for their regal and often formal lifestyle, have a unique and quirky tradition when it comes to exchanging Christmas presents. Far from the typical gift-giving scenarios, this tradition involves choosing the perfect gift, wrapping it in a way that preserves its mystery, and ensuring a detailed plan is in place to prevent any mishaps.

Welcome to the Royal Gift-Giving Process

Gift-giving among members of the Royal Family can be described as a highly organized but also quite playful endeavor. The process typically involves the following steps:

Chosing a gift that the recipient will truly enjoy;

Obtaining the gift;

Wrapping said gift in paper to maintain the ldquo;mystery blanketrdquo; until the perfect moment;

Attaching a gift card indicating to whom the gift is given, as the recipient will not know the contents; and

Presenting the gift to the intended recipient at an appropriate time.

This elaborate procedure highlights the importance of the gesture and the care with which each member of the Royal Family considers their gifts. Sometimes, members even appear to be more human and playful than one might expect from so esteemed a family.

Reusable Gifts: A Royal Tradition of Re-Gifting

To add to their unique approach, the Royal Family is notorious for their practice of re-gifting. Instead of opening the received gifts in full, they often store the unwrapped items for years, ensuring that they can re-gift them in future years.

Given the Royal Family's reluctance to open gifts immediately, it's not uncommon to see gifts from numerous Christmases still unopened in the family home. This intriguing tradition not only adds an element of surprise but also preserves the spirit of celebration for years to come.

Playing and Laughter: The Nature of Royal Gifts

Among the most distinctive aspects of the Royal Family's gift-giving tradition are the silly and playful nature of their presents. Historically, the rules advise the exchange of ldquo;sillyrdquo; or humorous gifts.

For instance, the now-Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was said to have given Queen Elizabeth a toy wind-up hamster during the 2018 festivities at Sandringham as Harry's fiancée. Another example is the iconic pillow that read ldquo;IT'S GOOD TO BE QUEEN,rdquo; which was a gift to Her Majesty from a previous year. The pillow now finds a place of honor on Queen Elizabeth's sofa in one of her residences.

Meanwhile, the spouses of the Royal Family, King Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, tend to exchange gifts with each other privately, likely keeping to the same playful spirit but without the public exposure.

In summary, the Royal Family's gift-giving tradition is a fascinating blend of tradition and playfulness, preserving the ldquo;royalrdquo; charm while adding a joyful twist to the Christmas season.