How Prince William and Kate Middleton spent Christmas this year

[Prince William and Kate Middleton were unable to attend Queen Elizabeth's celebration at Windsor Castle. But what exactly were the couple doing on December 25?

After all, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had their own quiet celebration at Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk, England. A source told "Us Weekly" that the couple enjoyed the day with their children and participated in a lovely holiday tradition.

For starters, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis woke up at 5 a.m. to see if Santa Claus had brought them any presents. For Prince George, a camping set (with tent and walkie-talkie); for Prince Louis, a climbing frame. Charlotte received a children's video camera, and all three received games and books under the tree.

"Kate and William avoid overindulging their children, but they did follow the rules at Christmas," the source said.

The children were not the only ones to unwrap their joy on Christmas morning. A source revealed, "After a busy year, William wanted to make this Christmas special for Kate, so he surprised her with a beautiful bracelet."

Once the gift-giving time was over, Kate turned her attention to preparing a home-cooked meal for her family. Kate cooked a traditional Christmas feast for lunch. Turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, ham, roast potatoes, and all the trimmings. In addition, the Duchess "used her creative skills to decorate the table with candles, evergreen branches, and cones as centerpieces."

The meal was topped off with a Christmas log and apple pie dessert, which the children helped Kate prepare. Sources said, "But the highlight was making gingerbread houses covered with their favorite treats."

They will also be glad that William and Kate were able to get in touch with the rest of the royal family on Christmas Day. They were able to video chat with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in Windsor, and the children were reportedly very pleased.

The following day, however, was not so happy for some families. Boxing Day (December 26) was a big day for soccer fans, and William and George were disappointed that their favorite team, Aston Villa, lost to Chelsea.

"But they didn't let that ruin their festivities!" sources said.