The Queen of England is all about traditions, especially when it comes to the holiday season. Without fail, Queen Elizabeth gives a Christmas speech every December and she always goes off on a holiday to Sandringham around Christmas Day. And the monarch’s holiday gifts are no different — Elizabeth gives the same gift to her house staff every single year.

Now, it takes an army to run an estate as large as Buckingham Palace and to serve a monarch as important as Queen Elizabeth II. 1,500 staff members, to be exact, that do everything from cleaning to cooking to guarding Her Majesty.

So what does she give her nearly two thousand employees every Christmas? The royal family website states that each member of the staff receives a Christmas pudding from the Queen herself.

The tradition was started by her grandfather, George V. Each holiday season, a pudding is distributed to staff throughout the palaces, as well as staff in the Court Post Office and Palace Police. On top of the seasonal treat, employees are given a greeting card from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Some employees in Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will also be personally presented with a gift by Queen Elizabeth, the website adds. It’s likely thought that those who have worked for the Queen for a long time, such as the senior household staff, gets these extra gifts in addition to the pudding and personalized card.

It’s been reported that the monarch used to get her annual puddings from the royal grocer, Fortnum & Mason. However, recent reports suggest the Queen has now switched to a more affordable option from Tesco’s Finest range.

Hey, buying 1,500 holiday puddings is no small feat, even for the Queen!

People magazine happened to dig up the recipe for the special Christmas pudding which is made with raisins, currants, beef suet, dark beer, dark rum, brandy, and plenty of sugar.

On top of her gift to the staff, the Queen and the royal family also donate to multiple charities each Christmas, as well as towering evergreen trees to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Giles’ Cathedral, and the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh.

What do you think of the Queen’s annual gift and her other ways of giving back? Make sure to share your thoughts on this age-old tradition with us!