- The royal family opens presents on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.
- They're known for getting each other cheap gag gifts.
- Prince Harry once reportedly got the Queen a shower cap that said "Ain't life a b****" and she loved it.
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Christmas with the British royal family involves a black-tie dinner, a church service on Christmas Day ... and hilarious gag gifts.
The royal family opens presents together at teatime on Christmas Eve at the Queen's estate in Sandringham, and they've been known to give each other some ridiculous items over the years.
The quirky tradition makes sense seeing as the royal family has access to everything they could ever want or need. Why bother trying to pick out something tasteful that no one has any use for when you can get something cheap that makes everyone laugh?
Here are some of the gifts they've bought each other over the years.
Princess Diana didn't get the memo ahead of her first royal Christmas.
At Princess Diana's first Christmas with the royal family, she reportedly wasn't in on the joke and bought everyone cashmere sweaters and mohair scarves to general amusement.
Prince Harry reportedly gave the Queen a shower cap in 2013 that said "Ain't life a b****."
According to royal biographer Brian Hoey, she loved it.
The Queen also reportedly received a singing hamster from Meghan Markle.
Markle surprised the Queen with the silly gift during her first Christmas with the royals, according to reports at the time.
Princess Anne once got Prince Charles a leather toilet seat.
According to Hoey, Prince Charles loves it so much he brings it with him while traveling.
Kate Middleton once bought her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, a grow-your-own-girlfriend kit.
The gag gift was before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married. Katie Nicholl shared the detail in "Kate: The Future Queen."
Not all of Kate Middleton's gifts have been quite so silly, though. She once reportedly made fishing flies for Prince Philip.
Grazia magazine reported that Kate also bought a bottle of Floris perfume for the Queen and a beanie hat for Prince William.
Kate also gifted homemade jam one year.
According to Vanity Fair, she gave strawberry jam and plum preserves as Christmas presents in 2011.
Perhaps you could take inspiration from the royals this year?
If you're stuck trying to think of what to get someone on your list this year, go for an inexpensive present that will make them chuckle — and tell them that's how the royals do it.
- Read more:
- 30 photos that show how the White House and the royal family decorate for the holidays
- 10 major ways Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's love story is different from Prince William and Kate Middleton's
- 10 times royals broke their own protocol in 2019
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