It is a tradition that pleases the impatient. Since the second half of the 19th century, members of the British crown have been exchanging and opening gifts on December 24 at the royal residence of Sandringham in eastern England.
While most English and French children will open their presents on Christmas Day, December 25, Princes George and Louis, as well as Princess Charlotte, have the privilege of opening them earlier. “On Christmas Eve, the Royal Family arranges their gifts on the mantel tables and exchange them at teatime,” reads a page on the British Royal Family’s website dedicated to their customs and traditions during this year’s party.
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Renaming
This custom is explained by the German origin of the British royal family, which bore the name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until 1917 (the year when, in the face of post-war Germanophobic opinion, King George V decided to replace it with Windsor).
Traditionally in Germany, therefore, adults and children exchange their gifts on December 24, around 4 pm, at tea time. It was in the 19th century that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert introduced and popularized this event, called “Heiligabend Bescherung(“Gifts on Christmas Eve”) Across the Rhine. On the same day, the royal family attends a service at St. Mary Magdalene Church, which is located on Sandringham Estate.
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Source: Le Figaro
