Christmas with the Royals: This is how Willem-Alexander and Maxima celebrate

The Dutch royal family celebrates Christmas in their own unique way every year: sometimes in the Netherlands with ex-Queen Beatrix and sometimes in Máxima’s home country of Argentina with the Zorregueita family. If the queen’s South American homeland is the destination, they spend the holidays in Rio Negro province at her home there. For Willem-Alexander and Máxima, it was always important to include both cultures in their celebrations so that their three daughters could properly get to know their cultural roots.

During the holidays, Queen Máxima likes to take the time to make Christmas decorations or bake with Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane. But there are also official appointments on the program, such as visits to important charities in connection with the Orange Foundation, whose patronage lies with the royal couple.

When the Dutch royals spend the holidays in The Hague, the lush Christmas tree in the palace gardens is traditionally decorated on Christmas Eve afternoon, under the guidance of Willem-Alexander, using only candles and lots of tinsel.

This tradition comes from a royal ancestor of the Orange people: in 1879, King Wilhelm III, great-grandfather of King Willem-Alexander, married the German princess Emma von Waldeck-Pymont. At that time, Christmas was strictly Protestant and only celebrated in the church, not in the castle. But Queen Emma knew things differently from home. She introduced many Christmas traditions at court and thus also in the Netherlands that still exist there today. For example, festive decorations in the rooms, lots of good food, gifts and tinsel as tree decorations.

The silver cords were originally intended to represent glittering icicles, which was intended to bring the special winter atmosphere from the forest into the home. In the forecourt of the Huis-ten-Bosch Palace there is a Christmas tree throughout Advent, usually up to nine meters high, which is decorated with hundreds of LED lights.

According to Dutch custom, the king’s three daughters used to receive most of the gifts on December 5th. Then Sinterklaas – Santa Claus – comes with his gifts. But Amalia, Alexia and Ariane can still look forward to receiving presents at Christmas.

The visit of the entire royal family to “Het Witte Kerkje” in Huis ter Heide last Christmas was something special. Willem-Alexander goes to church less often than his predecessors in office. But he says he takes the topic of religion seriously in an intellectual way, especially when he attends official appointments in this context. However, there is no ritual visit by the family to the festival service, as is customary in the British. In the Netherlands, too, the monarch’s TV speech on December 25th concludes the official part of the royal Christmas season.