The first modern Christmas was celebrated in Bulgaria in 1879. It followed a European model with a Christmas tree, ice skating and gifts. At that time, the young Alexander Battenberg, who had just become the Prince of Bulgaria, took it upon himself to modernize the country in every aspect. One of the innovations was the celebration of Christmas in the Royal Palace.

In the days leading up to Christmas, 145 years after the European Christmas tradition was established in Bulgaria, a recreation of the beautiful and festive atmosphere that amazed Sofia residents at the end of the 19th century was made. The idea for this unique time-travel experience, accompanied by a lecture on forgotten facts and events, came from young professionals from the National Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National Art Gallery. 

They embarked on searching for memories and documents left by contemporaries of the era. For example, artist Alexander Bozhinov (1878-1968) describes his first encounter with a Christmas tree in Sofia as follows: ''I stood in front of the open door and in the brilliantly illuminated hall there was a huge Christmas tree rising almost to the ceiling, in the middle of the room, richly decorated and brightly lit with countless colorful candles''.

For more than 40 years, the Royal Palace in Sofia has housed the National Ethnographic Museum and the National Art Gallery under one roof, but "Christmas in the Palace" is the first joint initiative of the two institutions. Unfortunately, the they are under different authorities — one is part of the Ministry of Culture, while the other is under the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences — and the funds are insufficient to carry out a proper renovation of the building. The roof leaks and the building does not look like the palaces we have seen in Vienna, Paris, Germany, Russia, etc.", says historian Janet Miteva who works as a curator at the National Art Gallery.

"In the past, this building had a representative function; it was the most important landmark building for Bulgaria. All foreign diplomatic representatives used to arrive here and were received by the monarch. The messages to the members of parliament were also read there. This building is connected to the most significant events in Bulgarian history after the Liberation. We must pay tribute to the past. We should not reject everything or treat such a historical building with disregard. The initiative ''Christmas in the Palace. A Journey Through Time'' is the idea of the young people from the two institutions. I support their ideas. These people are very inspired and want to restore this tradition- to celebrate Christmas around a decorated and illuminated tree in the Royal Palace".

Janet Miteva also recalls another romantic historical fact: for five centuries, Bulgarians lived only with the memories of their kings and kingdoms — our ancient history was mainly passed down as legends. "That's why the idea of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom emerged after the Liberation", explains the historian from the National Art Gallery.

"Bulgaria became a monarchy by the decision of the Berlin Congress (1878) with the aim of continuing the tradition of the first two Bulgarian kingdoms. This brought a patriotic note in the behaviour of all Bulgarians and was the basis of the intelligentsia that formed at that time. After the fall under Ottoman rule, all our intelligentsia, the noble class (boyars) and the more progressive people were either destroyed or expelled from their native lands. Bulgarians have always been studious and open to the world, which helps us explain why the revival of Bulgaria started from the villages. The first monastic schools were established there. And when the establishment of university education began, it involved enlightened people who had graduated from foreign schools. They were not always part of the elite close to the prince, but with their worthy deeds, they helped advance education, culture and arts. The Third Bulgarian Kingdom gave Bulgarians a new self-confidence and they quickly adapted to the new norms, beginning to feel like true Europeans."