Buckingham Palace-Christmas Lights?
 

Is the exterior of Buckingham Palace decorated for Christmas? If it is, when do the decorations usually go up?

thanks,
Pat.

We were suprised when we were in London for Christmas 2000 how much Buckingham Palace was not decorated. Only a couple of trees with white lights on them at the front of the building.
Understated, to say the least.
Annette

thanks, Annette, appreciate the quick response.

Pat

Prince Albert the Good brought the Christmas tree to Britain about 1850, and followed the Saxon tradition that you bring the tree into the house, and decorate it there. Until twenty years ago this remained the standard in England: your tree was for your children, your visitors, and you. The first idea I had of a tree in a public place was the great tree in Trafalgar Square that the Norwegians have given us every year as thanks for liberation from Hitler. Now public trees are fairly common, but still mostly in public places. Decorating the front of the house is, as I say, recent, and the Queen tends to a certain conservatism of custom, as you may have noticed. She prefers to set fashion rather than follow it.

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You mean , she doesn't have a reindeer sleigh on the roof or a Santa descening the chimney???

Oh Dear!!

I am reading the book by Paul Burrell about Diana, he states they don't decorate BP as the Queen leaves BP for her holiday trip to her other palace (Balmoral maybe). That location receives all the decorations.

I wouldn't take anything that Paul Burrell says for fact!!

The royal family spends every Christmas at Sandringham . . . . .

It's not decorated because the Queen is too cheap!

It's certainly true that Her Maj has a tendency to extreme parsimony. And more power to that elbow.

But what decoration, apart from a Christmas tree, (remember there are elements within Anglicanism that see cribs as idolatrous) would anyone with any taste at all put in front of their house?

All this discussion of what is tasteful in Christmas decorations reminds me of an article in the Times several years back about the gaudiness of the American habit of putting lights on the outside of their houses, etc.
I have to admit I grew up thinking that outdoor lights were a bit low class, but now I've joined the masses, and am eagerly anticipating putting my "Ho, Ho, Ho!" sign up in the front yard next Friday!
Annette

If they can put flashing lights on the Eiffel Tower, why not on Buckingham Palace?

Outside decorations on private homes - apart from maybe a tree - are considered pretty tacky and tasteless here as Flanner UK says.

Tastes are changing, and some Jones's are trying to keep up the demand on the grid. One of my neighbours (now moved) not only had a sleigh and reindeer in lights suspended in mid-air on a wire going up to his roof, he also stood a life-size Santa outside the front door whose head swivelled to follow you as you went past. Not nice on a cold dark night. I wouldn't blame her Maj for installing animated waxworks of the family on the balcony and flying off for the winter.

I am still shuddering at the thought of Buckingham Palace decked out in flashing fairy lights and an ornamental Father Christmas (I'm picturing the 'mooning' version) or two.

Out of interest is the exterior of The White House decorated. My quick search only yielded information on the National Christmas Tree - which just sounds like your version of the tree in Trafalgar Square.

Following from Patricks post, I agree there does seem to be an increase in decorated houses over the last few years. The finest example I have found however was in Australia - outskirts of Newcastle, NSW to be precise. A house there is so ornately decorated it has become something of an attraction, with enough visitors to support 2 ice cream vans :)

Good point, Jacqui.
Just thinking out of memory, I don't believe the White House has Christmas lights on the outside, but there are wreaths on the windows. (I think)

Apparently, the Queen will be too busy cleaning up the mess Bush's entourage left in her garden. http://www.thenation.com/outrage/index.mhtml?bid=6

IMO the US version of the tree in Trafalgar Square is the tree in New York's Rockefeller Center.

Keith

Geez, I wish my visitors would bring 5 chefs when they come!!!

How many chefs does it take to make a pretzel..?!