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24.12.2021

The winter holidays tradition of having a New Year or Christmas tree in the Alexander Palace is back.

A lovely fir tree is welcoming our visitors in the Palisander Drawing Room until the end of winter school break in January.

The decorations include an elephant, an angel, a bear, a fox, an elk, a slipper, boxes, baskets, fish, horses and other authentic early 20th century artefacts from our museum collection. A few items of the same period come from the private collection of Director Olga Taratynova of Tsarskoe Selo.

The Alexander Palace became the imperial family's permanent residence in 1905, but they already celebrated Christmas there on 24 December 1904. Christmas was considered the most important among the winter holidays. At least eight Christmas trees were placed in the palace rooms in December. Each of them were decorated under the supervision of Empress Alexandra, who also personally chose gifts for everyone at the palace including footmen, cooks and boiler workers. Nicholas II and his family decorated their last Christmas tree in the Alexander Palace in December 1916.

A guided tour "Christmas in the Imperial Family" for groups under 20 people is available at 10.30am and 2.30pm on 25th-28th and 30th December 2021. E-tickets

The Alexander Palace is open 10am to 6pm (admission until 5pm) daily except Wednesday. It will be closed on 31 December 2021 and 1 January 2022 and then open without a day off during 2-9 January 2022.