Celebrate Precious Christmas Moments with The Royal Mint

Christmas is a precious time of year when we can pause and reflect, taking time out from our hectic lives to be with our loved ones and show them how much we care. For many, it is a magical time with the anticipation of celebration, merriment, delicious food and gifts.

Most families have their own traditions at Christmas, such as decorating the Christmas tree, baking tasty treats, taking part in a festive service or concert, leaving mince pies out for Santa Claus, or simply snuggling up to watch films together. These traditions add to the excitement of the season and are special because they instil a sense of belonging, togetherness and stability. They also help create precious memories that can be cherished for decades to come.

Some traditions are steeped in history, such as decorating Christmas trees with ornaments and baubles. This tradition is thought to have originated in Germany, where it has long been a custom to decorate fir trees with fruit and nuts during the festive period. In 1847, a craftsman named Hans Greiner began making decorative glass ornaments that could be hung on trees. These ornaments soon became so popular that word spread and caught the attention of American businessman F. W. Woolworth.

Woolworth soon began importing huge quantities of these ornaments to the United States, where they were an instant success. Today, decorating a Christmas tree with beautiful baubles is an integral part of Christmas for millions of people around the world, who often place a star, fairy or angel on the top as a finishing touch.

This year, our official 2024 Christmas coin, The Snowman™ 2024 UK 50p Coin, pays tribute to this special tradition with a reverse design featuring The Snowman placing a star at the top of the tree. This is the seventh year that the beloved festive character created by Raymond Briggs has adorned our 50p Christmas coin, and collecting or gifting our Snowman coins has become something of an annual tradition for many of our customers.

We also offer a range of beautiful Christmas decorations from 886 by The Royal Mint, made from gold and silver for you to add an extra-special sparkle to your tree this year.

Another popular tradition involves the legend of St Nicholas and how he became known as Father Christmas, or Santa Claus to some.

St Nicholas liked giving presents to people who were less fortunate than him and had heard a story about a local nobleman who had lost both his wife and his money. At the time, a bride-to-be needed a dowry to offer her groom’s parents. Sadly, the nobleman couldn’t afford to feed his daughters, let alone give them a dowry.

St Nicholas knew that the nobleman would be too proud to accept charity. So, when he spotted that the girls had hung their stockings to dry on the chimney ledge, he decided to climb down the chimney and put a bag of silver coins into the oldest girl’s stocking.

The next day, St Nicholas climbed down the chimney again and placed a bag of coins into the second daughter’s stocking. The day after that, St Nicholas tried to do the same for the youngest daughter, but the nobleman was hiding in the room and caught St Nicholas in the act.

St Nicholas begged the nobleman to keep it a secret, but word got out and soon everyone was hanging stockings on their fireplace.

Today, our coins make the perfect stocking fillers with a range of editions to suit various budgets. In a disposable world, our beautiful products are meaningful and timeless keepsakes that are designed to last – so your loved ones can cherish them for years to come.

We put our 1,100 years of experience into crafting products that can be treasured and admired for generations to come, from luxurious jewellery from 886 by The Royal Mint, which are made from the finest sustainable precious metals, to charming coins that feature much-loved characters such as Harry Potter and the Gruffalo’s Child.

As one of the oldest and most trusted organisations in the United Kingdom, we know the value of traditions and the importance of passing these traditions on to future generations. Our products help keep these traditions alive, meaning that you and your loved ones can share even more precious Christmas moments together.

Discover our range of beautifully handcrafted gifts and make this Christmas one to remember.