Fascinating holiday celebrations by royal families around the world

When it comes to celebrating holidays and making the most of our time with our families, the royals are as enthusiastic and fun as we are. Regardless of their busy schedule and the continuous need to remain in the public eye, they somehow manage the time and make the effort of following the long-standing holiday traditions and festivities. Whether it’s Christmas celebrations by the British royals or the Japanese Emperor’s heartfelt New Year wishes to his people, hardly any royal family misses the opportunity to have a good time and connect with their loved ones every once in a while.

Here are some of the fascinating holiday celebrations by the royal families you probably didn’t know about.

Photo: Courtesy of The Royal Family

One of the most celebrated holidays in the British Royal family is undeniably the festival of Christmas. Apart from the decorations at the Buckingham Palace, the Queen along with her family visits the Sandringham Estate, where everyone, including the Queen, spends quality time with one another and engage in different fun activities and games. Family dinners and tea times are also a big part of the holiday celebrations as per the royal family’s official website.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco are the current official head of the House of Grimaldi. Every Christmas, they open the gates of the Prince’s Palace to the Children of Monaco. The Royal couple hosts many Monegasque children and their families and indulges them in gift-exchanging ceremonies. This tradition dates back to 60 years when Princess Grace Kelly expressed great enthusiasm to meet the children of her country.

Photo: Vanessa von Zitzewitz / Courtesy of Monaco Palace

With the birthday celebrations of Queen Sylvia on the 23rd of December and Christmas just around the corner, the royal family gets to enjoy a marathon of feasts and parties. Besides singing carols and baking sweets and cakes, Crown Prince Daniel and Princess Victoria also make an effort to wish their Swedish subjects during the holiday season.

Photo: Christine Olsson/AP

While the Grand Ducal family is one of the largest royal families, their actions and holiday traditions are even grander and more exuberant. That being said, on Christmas Eve the Grand Duke Henri, the current head of Luxembourg monarchy, addresses the people through television and also attends the Noel church services at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City.

Besides Bhutan’s National Day, which is celebrated on the 17th of December, one of the most-awaited festivals of Bhutan is “Nyilo”. According to the beliefs of the Bhutanese people, the festival is a way to correct the evils of the past and the celebrations can lead to an increase in the good deeds by an individual. During this festival, children play an important role. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wanghuck and his wife, Jetsun Pema, welcome children to their court and let them sing the ancient verses of Bhutan.

Photo: Royal Office for Media

Being a passionate supporter of Art and Culture, both King Phillippe and his wife, Queen Mathilde, just a few days prior to Christmas, host a cultural event at the Royal Palace, also known as a holiday gala concert. Held in the official royal ballroom, the King and Queen along with other members of the family attend the concert. That being said, even the general public gets to enjoy the televised version of the performances.

For the Dutch royal family, the holiday traditions are rather private and intimate. While King Willem Alexander’s wife, Queen Maxima is originally from Argentina, the family chooses to spend their holiday in South America.

Photo: Erwin Olaf

When it comes to holiday celebrations, the royals of Spain know how to make it highly inclusive of their public. Every year, on Christmas, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, along with their two beautiful daughters, delight their subjects by sending them Christmas cards. Also during this time, they also celebrate the birthday of the former King Juan Carlos, which falls on the 5th of January.

Even the Japanese royal family goes to great lengths to celebrate festivals and holds their holiday traditions in high esteem. During New Years, the gates of the Imperial palace is left open to general public. On January 1st every year, Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako receive greetings and gifts from the members of the imperial family and the parliament. The following day, the people of Japan get to have a glimpse of the palace interiors and also watch the Emperor give a speech about the upcoming year.

Besides the festival of Eid, which is one of the greatest celebratory occasion in the Islamic calendar, the royal family of Jordan indulges in a tree-planting ceremony every 15th of January, in order to celebrate Arbor Day. This day is an international festival observed to highlight the need to conserve our environment and protect it.

On New Year’s Eve, the Danish Queen, Margrethe II addresses the nation through a television broadcast. Following that, she throws a royal ball at the Palace at Amalienborg in Copenhagen, where the members of the royal family have a good time.

Steen Brogaard/Kongehuset