Norwegian Royals Build Gingerbread House for Christmas

The royal family of Norway released their annual Christmas photos Thursday. As always, they chose an activity to show them enjoying each other’s company. This year, that activity was building a gingerbread house.

Terje Bendiksby/Scanpix

King Harald V, Queen Sonja, the Crown Princely couple and their children built the house at the royal palace in Oslo. The house was big enough for Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus to walk through. It included gingerbread and cookies with the names of the children of Princess Martha Louise, their cousins.

While building the house, Ingrid and Sverre felt tempted to eat the gingerbread. But their mother made sure they didn’t.

“Ingrid, no. You are not allowed to eat the house. You can get one of the loose,” said Mette-Marit, who was dressed in traditional Norwegian clothes, as was Queen Sonja.

Luckily, Ingrid and Sverre found and ate some pieces not yet on the house. The gingerbread was made by the palace chefs.

This Christmas, the King and Queen will be in Oslo, along with their eldest child, Martha Louise and her family. Haakon and Mette-Marit will be in a cabin in Nore and Uvdal.

Not since 2004 has the entire royal family been together.

Click here to see a video of the family (you have to scroll down to the middle of the page).