Royal Christmases comes in all shapes and sizes and as the countdown to the festive season begins, palaces across Europe are sharing their preparations for the big day. And while your budget might not be the same, there’s no reason that these ideas can’t be an inspiration for some Christmas magic all of your own.
In Norway, the first hint of Christmas came as the royals welcomed a giant gingerbread palace to the gates of their home. On the first Sunday of Advent, the royal guard gave a very special escort to a fabulously homemade version of the royal palace created solely out of gingerbread.
The distinctive and very regal gingerbread house was made by Fridheim Kindergarten with some of the children helping to deliver it to the palace as Advent got under way.
And it looked like many other gingerbread houses with random sweets stuck all over the front to give that proper cosy appeal.
While many of us might be making gingerbread houses this Advent, it’s unlikely we can match Norway’s royals when it comes to their other festive idea.
On a visit to Oslo’s public transport network, on December 2, the heir to the throne made a Christmas mark all of his own. Crown Prince Haakon ended up behind the wheel of an underground train whose information board was changed to read ”God Jul” or ”Happy Christmas”.
Much more approachable was the Swedish start to Advent which saw a beautiful wreath placed in the Royal Chapel and the first of the white candles on it being lit.
Sweden’s royals usually share several spiritual moments in the run up to Christmas and they’ll also be expected to mark St. Lucia’s Day in the depths of December when children, in particular, dress up to mark the season.
Queen Mary of Denmark has added her own twist to the traditions of her royal court by popping a Christmas decoration shaped as the Sydney Opera House to her tree.
The unusual bauble was revealed as Mary and her husband, King Frederik, shared a video of them decorating their huge tree alongside their four children and their dog. A smashed bauble was also seen in the reel, making this easily the most relatable of all royal Christmas preparations.
Meanwhile, King Charles is the first to share his tree for Christmas 2025. The royal residences at Holyrood and Windsor are now decked for the season.
The tree in St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle is particularly impressive and it will have a very important close up. On December 3, the Hall will be the setting for the State Banquet for the President of Germany.
Queen Victoria is widely credited with making Christmas trees popular in Britain but it was her grandmother, Queen Charlotte, who actually introduced them. The Sleigh that Victoria and Prince Albert loved to use is expected to be dusted down to be shown to the President of Germany during his stay. Whether he and King Charles hop on board for a ride remains to be seen but there will be plenty of other royal reminders that Christmas is coming in the days ahead.
