Kate Middleton Jokes She Had 'Quite an Early Start' on Christmas and Talks About Her Kids' Gifts

Like many parents, Christmas began with a bang for Kate Middleton!

The Princess of Wales, 40, made a relatable revelation while chatting with well-wishers after attending Christmas church services at Sandringham with the rest of the royal family. As seen in a video shared to Twitter, Princess Kate opened up about what her morning was like in conversation with the crowd.

Accepting flowers from a little girl named India, Kate asked, "Have you had a nice morning? Has Father Christmas been?" referencing the traditional British name for Santa Claus. India said yes and politely asked the princess if she had enjoyed the day so far as well.

"They got lots of lovely things, thank you very much," Kate said of her kids' gifts.

Giving another glimpse into what life is like at home, Princess Kate and Prince William surprised social media followers early Christmas morning by sharing a painting by Prince George.

"Happy Christmas! 🎨 by George," read the caption of the watercolor, showing a reindeer in the snow with birds perched on its antlers and back.

From the late Prince Philip to King Charles III and now George, an artistic interest runs in the royal family. The King, 74, is well known for his watercolors, which are often of royal residences like Balmoral Castle in Scotland and his country home Highgrove in Gloucestershire, England. In October, a print of a painting of Balmoral by Charles sold at auction for about $6,500, despite being valued at roughly $675.

The painting, which was sold with a certificate, is signed in pencil by Charles with the year marked 2001. It shows Balmoral, the Scottish estate where Queen Elizabeth II traditionally spent her summer months with plenty of visits by members of the royal family. It's also where the history-making monarch died on Sept. 8, immediately making her eldest son the new King.

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Of course, the Queen's absence will be felt throughout the royal family during the first Christmas season without her.

"It will be hard, as the Queen was all they knew, like most of Britain," a former palace staffer told PEOPLE ahead of the holiday. "The first year is most difficult, as it is always the first of everything that you notice."