CHRISTMAS AT SANDRINGHAM.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20729, 14 December 1932, Page 13

CHRISTMAS AT SANDRINGHAM.

KING AND QUEEN AT HOME. HOW ROYAL FAMILY OBSERVES THE FEAST DAY. (SKSCIALM WBITTBN FOB THE PBZSS.) J'By the Hon. Mrs Francis Lascelles, Aunt of H.R.H. the Princess Rcyal.] When the King and Queen talk/of going to Sandringham they say "we are going home," so it is-natural that they should always desire to spend Christmas in Norfolk. Buckingham Palace and "Windsor Castle can never quite lose their official atmosphere, but at Sandringham the family feeling predominates. So to Sandringham they naturally turn for a festival,, symbolic . of all that is best in borne life. The early married years of the King and I Queen were spent at York Cottage in the actual grounds of Sandringham, and there the children lived their, early formative years. Hence the whole family "looks to Sandringham" at Christmas time. .-.:■-'. The Queen is never a woman for last minute preparations. Long before the appointed time the Sandringhani Christmas programme has all been put in hand. The arrangements for the Boyal Christmas dinner-table are very similar to those in thousands of big houses throughout the land. The Queen, however, is most particular that the food should be Empire produce and in point of fact, it consists mainly of local produce. The home farm at Sandringham can provide turkeys which would be hard to beat and the call on the turkey farm will ;>e considerable for, . apart from the Boyal Family's dinner, there are the requirements of the household and the staff to consider. \ The Queen as Hostess. I Queen Alexandra's model dairy has ; for a long time been busy preparing for the festive sea son, and this will. be responsible for the cream, milk, butter, and chickens served at the Eoyal table. The King and Queen now have four grandchildren and if they all-foregather this year it will-be like-the-old times when their own six were littles and * lookeft- forward to* Christmas with all the zest of youth. The nursery diet of* Princess Margaret Rose, the baby of the Eoyal party, will be the. best that one of the model dairies of England can supply. Fruit for the Eoyal Christmas puddings cannot be snupplied at home but the best Colonial produce will.be used. All such matters are given detailed consideration by the Queen herself, for she is one of those ideal hostesses who.never leaves the care of her guests entirely to others. * Christmas Presents. When the family assembles at Sandringham they often feel somewhat jaded, for the weeks before" Christmas are tiring enough. Eoyal Christmas presents are a serious matter, and the family are too well trained in their duty to the State to relegate such' things to officials. At this time of the year the Queen, spends much time shopping, for not only has she her own immediate | circle, but a host .of friends "and many old servants, retainers, and poor people in whom she is personally interested. She is businesslike about the whole matter, starts her day's work early, deals with the' various items consecutively, and has a very .good idea of What she means to get and".to. spend. Later Sandringham will see *m)ipy of the purchases she makes AO'jiarefally in Bond Street and OxfoitfTßtifefe't,, The parcels opened there s6. easetjy * will always "'contain goods of. British or colonial manufacture. " * Quiet Simplicity. - Peace and quiet simplicity-, is the aim of the Boyal party when. at. Saddling- . ham, and all visitors are entertained * with delightful informality. The Boyal Christmas dinner is, of course, i. cere- " monious affair, but as. a rule throughout the holiday meals are simple : and on- ' pretentious. Almost jthe only, point of etiquette rigorously observed is that . guests are expected to assemble a few minutes before lunch or dinner to await their Boyal hosts. Christmas really begins at Sandringham when the King and Queen greet their guests in the central hall where," ; on Christmas Eve, are gathered all members of the family .who can get away. Each is expected to be down to . breakfast on Christmas mornjUig and later they attend service at. the little church of St. Mary, where often their Majesties themselves choose the .hymns and join in the singing. Afterwards comes the interchange of family, presents, and then, after a simple, lunch, - there is a tour round the estate to leave presents for old employees and pensioners. The Christmas tree is a family insti- , tution introduced by Prince Albert, and Queen Mary herself always dispenses the presents hung upon it. Dinner fol : lows, and' Queen Mary always wears a. . new gown. It is an old-fashioned,affair, with the roast beef of old England, torkeys, plum pudding, and everything else in traditional style. A good old-fashioned Christmas is always kept at Sandringham, and the members of the family throw themselves heartily into the simplest amuse-" ments. It is good to think that the younger generation, Princess Mary's two little boys, and the .Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Bose, will in future be able .to look-back upon, happy times .spent in traditional .way. .amongst the family.