As families around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas tomorrow, the British royals will be exchanging gifts tonight, on Christmas Eve.
As Prince Harry explained in his memoir, Spare, it is “a German tradition that survived the anglicizing of the family surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.”
In Germany, Christmas Eve (Heiliger Abend) is when the holiday is celebrated. As House Beautiful writes, “Traditionally, many households will spend the day decorating the tree, preparing food for the family and sprucing up the home. As soon as the night draws in, households will gather around the tree. According to tradition, the ‘Christkind’ (Christ child) delivers the presents when the children are waiting outside the room. A bell will be rung for children to step inside the room, where the family will then sing carols before the bescherung (opening of gifts) begins. Some families head to Christmas Eve services at their local churches afterward, while others may indulge in delicious food.”
The royal family’s German heritage dates back centuries. As Barron’s explains, “The history of the British royal family is inextricably entwined with Germany.” King George I was the first German king of Great Britain; crowned in 1714, he was born in northern Germany and belonged to the House of Hanover. One of his descendants, Queen Victoria, married a German prince, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and changed the family’s royal name from Hanover to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are to thank for many of the royal family’s Christmas traditions—including popularizing the Christmas tree.
The royals changed their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917, during World War I. As the Royal Family’s official website notes, “In 1917, there was a radical change, when George V specifically adopted Windsor, not only as the name of the ‘House’ or dynasty, but also as the surname of his family. The family name was changed as a result of anti-German feeling during the First World War, and the name Windsor was adopted after the Castle of the same name.”
Despite the change in name, German Christmas traditions have endured.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
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