Carole Middleton Reveals "Cheeky" Christmas Decor That'll Make Her Grandkids Laugh

Carole Middleton seems especially excited about Christmas this year. Perhaps because she’s now a grandmother of five. Perhaps because her son James Middleton recently married, meaning she welcomed her first daughter-in-law to the fold. Or perhaps because she finally gets to celebrate the holidays doing what she loves best — decorating with her grandkids. And her decorating plans this Christmas seem to be all about making the little ones in the family laugh.

As owner of party supply company Party Pieces in the United Kingdom, Middleton is known for being a pretty posh decorator. But when it comes to Christmas, she is just like so many other grandparents around the world. Always thinking about how to keep her grandkids happy. This year, Middleton has some cute little aces up her sleeves in the form of sweet gnomes, or “Tomte” as they are traditionally called in Sweden.

“I’m going to need a few of these cheeky chaps this December, to hide around the house and make my grandchildren laugh,” Middleton explained in a post on her Party Pieces Instagram page. “As much as I love immaculate decorations, we can’t be too serious at Christmas!”

The “Tomte,” or “Nisse” in Norway, are meant to bring good fortune to households who treat them carefully, but are also known to be mischievous and love to play a trick or two when they don’t. Perfect fun for little ones to find hidden around the house.

This year she’ll have five grandkids to include in the decorating fun; 8-year-old Prince George, 6-year-old Princess Charlotte, and 3-year-old Prince Louis from daughter Kate Middleton, as well as 3-year-old Arthur and 8-month-old Grace from daughter Pippa.

That’s also five kids to decorate five Christmas trees, although presumably baby Grace will get a little help. Middleton told The Telegraph in 2018 that she loves to put a Christmas tree in each of her grandchildren’s bedrooms at her country home in Bucklebury to give them a chance to decorate them on their own. In 2020, however, Middleton was unable to host her grandchildren and had to make do with enlisting their help over Zoom. “For me, what really matters is that my family feels connected,” she shared on Instagram at the time. “I normally let my grandchildren help me decorate the tree. This year, I’ll ask them by video call to decide which decoration should go where.”

This year, the royal grandkids will be able to run through her house looking for the little gnomes. And I’ll make a bet they won’t be the only ones laughing.