QUEEN ELIZABETH II, FAMED FOR BEING THRIFTY AND FRUGAL, HAS UPGRADED THE CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR HER STAFF FROM LAST YEAR'S SIMPLE SET OF COASTERS TO A CRYSTAL WINE DECANTER. THE 2009 GIFT, WHICH IS ENGRAVED WITH THE EIIR ROYAL CIPHER, WILL BE HANDED TO HER EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY GATHER AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE FOR AN END OF YEAR DRINKS PARTY. 'IT'S A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT ON LAST YEAR', ACCORDING TO AN INSIDER. 'BUT THERE'S BEEN A BIG SQUEEZE HERE LIKE THERE HAS BEEN EVERYWHERE ELSE.' ANYONE WHO HAS WORKED FOR THE QUEEN FOR MORE THAN A YEAR IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE GIFT, WHICH IS NORMALLY VALUED AT ABOUT £20. HOWEVER, WITH 800 STAFF, THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUYS IN BULK AND CAN MAKE CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS. 'OF COURSE, IT'S NOT A SURPRISE BECAUSE ONE DECANTER HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY SO WE CAN ALL SEE WHAT WE ARE GETTING', A FOOTMAN TOLD THE DAILY MAIL. 'IT'S CRYSTAL AND QUITE HANDSOME. PEOPLE LIKE TO COLLECT THEM, ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE, SOME WILL BE ON EBAY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.' THE PARTY, HELD IN THE PALACE STATE ROOMS, WILL REMAIN TONED DOWN HOWEVER, AN INSIDER SAID. 'WE USED TO HAVE A DANCE WITH LOTS OF BOOZE, BUT NOW IT'S MORE LIKE A COCKTAIL PARTY', HE SAID. 'SENIOR COURTIERS MUCH PREFER IT BECAUSE IT MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE TO FRATERNIZE TOO MUCH WITH THE BELOW-STAIRS STAFF, BUT THE ROYAL FAMILY THEMSELVES ALWAYS SEEMED TO ENJOY IT.' THE QUEEN WILL BE JOINED AT THE RECEPTION BY PRINCE PHILIP AND PRINCESS ANNE AFTER THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN, EARL PEEL, HAS GIVEN HIS ANNUAL BRIEFING ABOUT THE YEAR ENDING AND THE 12 MONTHS AHEAD.
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