YOU might think that it breaks the bank to buy a Christmas present for the Queen. After all, just what do you get for the woman who has everything? But, surprisingly, the Royals almost compete to see who can buy the least extravagant gift.

If reports are true, the Queen has been known to eagerly unwrap a Christas present, discover a washing-up apron and declare: ''It's just what We wanted,'' while on another occasion, Her Majesty was happy to receive a casserole dish.

In reality, few presents exchanged between the Royals are expensive. The younger members of the family, however, each receive a Christmas stocking of pricey presents.

The Queen sends about 750 Christmas cards and gives a present to each member of her staff.

The Royals open their presents on Christmas Eve - a German tradition which has survived two world wars. On Christmas Day, the Royal family gathers at Sandringham, the Queen's Norfolk estate, and congregates in the white drawing room around the 20ft Christmas tree.

The Royals lay their presents for each other on white-linen-covered trestle tables set up in the drawing room. Name cards mark where gifts should be left and presents are opened at teatime on Christmas Eve.

Cocktail hour sees the Royals dressed for dinner and sipping dry martinis or gin and tonics in the saloon. Dinner at 8.30pm is black tie and candlelit.

A typical menu might be potted Norfolk shrimps, lamb or locally-shot game followed by tarte tartin with brandy creme or a souffle. White wine is served with the hors d'oeuvre, claret with the main course and champagne with the dessert. Some time after 10pm, on a signal from the Queen, the corgis are led out and the ladies adjourn, leaving Prince Philip to serve port or brandy to the men.

On Christmas morning, the Royal family awakes to stockings, filled with small gifts, at the foot of their beds.

At 11am the family attends morning service at St Mary Magdalene, the church on the estate. Christmas lunch is at 1pm and features turkey served with all the trimmings. The Royals enjoy Christmas crackers, but the Queen declines to wear a paper hat.

Then at 3pm, it's time for the Queen's TV broadcast and the family settles down to watch with Her Majesty - just like millions of families all over Britain.