A Mixed Bag: My Kremlin Tree 2026 Experience

I just got back from the Kremlin Christmas tree with my kid, and I'm still reeling from the experience.

The Christmas tree in the State Kremlin Palace takes place every year from around December 25th to the end of the holidays. There are three sessions: 10, 14, and 18. I knew the drill, having been there before, but I was still a bit caught off guard by the crowds.

Entrance to the event starts an hour and 45 minutes in advance. Trust me, it's worth getting there early. I've been to the GKDP before, and I knew the scale of the hall, but I still underestimated the chaos that comes with a big event like this. If you're planning to go, make sure to arrive with plenty of time to spare.There's another reason to arrive two hours before the show: in the main hall near the tree, there's a 20-minute interactive session for kids. You can also grab a snack, take photos with animators, and even get an aqua-grim (I'm pretty sure that's paid, but I didn't check, and we didn't have time for it). We ended up skipping this part, but it looked like a lot of fun.

Tickets can be bought online, and I got mine for free. Some government institutions give free tickets to their employees with kids. I was lucky enough to score some free tickets, but I know not everyone is as fortunate. If you're planning to buy tickets, make sure to get them in advance, as they tend to sell out quickly.

We went with a friend and her daughter, and that was a great decision. Kids tend to handle long events better with friends, and it was nice to have some adult company as well. But what I didn't expect was the unforeseen complication. We had to meet up at the venue, and in the center during the holidays, it's absolute chaos. I wasn't prepared for it. Not only was my mobile signal blocked, but half the pedestrian paths were closed. That's why I paid 1200 rubles for a taxi from home to the GKDP, which is only 6 km away. We were calling each other, but we couldn't hear each other.

It took us around 40 minutes to get from the Okhotny Ryad station to the venue! There are five intersections, but some paths are closed, and you can only exit but not enter. And then there are the metal detectors, the metal detectors, and more metal detectors, and you have to queue for each one. I've been to the GKDP before, but this was a whole new level of chaos.

Okay, we finally made it. Next up was waiting in line to get in. There were two lines, one on each side. Adults had to take off their jackets and put them on the conveyor belt along with their bags. Then we headed back out into the street and over the bridge towards the Kremlin walls to the very entrance of the GCD. This part was surprisingly quick, despite the crowds. It took us around 10 minutes, max.If you've got the time, it's worth taking a stroll around the grounds behind the Kremlin. I managed to do that on a spring day when we went to the ballet. It's really beautiful there.

Next up was the clothing check. It's huge, so don't forget which section you left your clothes in. There are loads of staff, and they work quickly, so you don't have to worry about this part.As you've probably gathered by now, we didn't make it to the interactive pre-show. To be honest, we were already running late by the time we got out of the cloakroom. When we walked through the main hall, we caught the animators in their colorful costumes taking photos with the audience. Some people were rushing to finish their face paint. We, on the other hand, still had to head up to the 4th floor to get to the balcony. This was my first time in the parterre, having previously sat in the stalls for Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker.

We took our seats at 13:55, and at that point, they were showing some cartoon on the screen. Genius idea, by the way, to keep the kids of more responsible and punctual parents entertained. At 14:00, the lights went down, and the show started. Big thumbs up for punctuality!I'll get to the show itself now, without any spoilers. The show was dynamic, colorful, with a huge cast, an original storyline, loads of songs and dances. You can't see much from the balcony, to be honest. The faces are almost impossible to make out, and the hall is huge. It's worth getting seats closer to the stage. When the witch's hut was supposed to turn around to face the forest, all we could see were chicken legs and the bottom planks. The interactive screen was only visible for about two-thirds of the time. The sound was excellent. You could hear everything clearly, without it being too loud. The costumes were bright, beautiful, and varied, fitting the characters perfectly. The decorations were a bit understated, mainly using interactive screens. But there were some ordinary decorations too. It all looked really harmonious, and I didn't feel like anything was missing. The visuals were top-notch.

Story is original, with familiar characters from fairy tales and some new ones - like the main villain, Shadow. The show's theme is amazing: it's all about dreams. Watching it makes you think, 'what would I tell a kid if they asked me what my dream is?' It's a heartwarming and educational show for kids, and even us adults found it interesting. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. Perfect for kids. My almost-five-year-old son and his friend's five-year-old daughter were both comfortable with it. There was a moment when my son asked, 'mom, is it going to be a long show? Are we going to be here till night?' But then he got hooked on the action on stage and sat through to the end without a fuss.And what about the gifts? After the show, you get to collect your gifts if you bought a ticket with them. There are pick-up points on every floor, and they hand them out quickly. We didn't have to wait at all. Is it worth getting? No way! The gift was objectively terrible. The only good thing was the metal castle-shaped box. The candies were cheap, and the marzipan was from those cheap E-shops. I wouldn't have bought a good one even if I wanted to, and I don't give my kids chocolate, but this was even too bad to give away - it felt embarrassing.

Then we managed to skip a few photo zones. Luckily, there were plenty of them, varied and beautiful. We just grabbed one and went first. No desire to stand in line for photos. But the best photos, in my opinion, are taken from the panoramic windows looking out at the Kremlin walls. And from both sides of the building. And then there's the small matter of getting into the coat check and restrooms (if needed). We needed to use it, so we had to go down to the bottom and wait in line for the ladies' restroom. There were plenty of stalls, but way more people. If you do decide to bring kids aged 2-3, keep in mind that if you have balcony tickets, you'll have to go down to -1 from the 4th floor during the show. The coat check wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Getting our coats was way easier than getting a kid to sit still so we could dress them.So what can I say in the end. By the time we got to the entrance, it was almost 1 pm. Or so we thought, not knowing about the closures. According to the Telegram chat history, we left the building at 3:40 pm. And that was before we even got to the interactive exhibit we wanted to see and skipped the photo zones. 2 hours and 40 minutes. Plus, we still had to get there and back. I'm glad I didn't bring my toddler last year and didn't bring my youngest this time. This super crowded, massive, and complicated event isn't worth bringing little ones, even if it's free. I saw a lot of tears, and it's just not worth it. There are mini Christmas trees with interactive exhibits for kids, which you can get to 15 minutes before the show starts and still manage to grab a spot. That's perfect for kids under 5. My 5-year-old will be in a few months, and I'd say it's worth a try. Ideally, bring a friend's kid, and the chances of avoiding tantrums go way down.

I highly recommend the Kremlin Christmas Tree 2026! I really enjoyed the show, and so did our kids. My son even said we should come back next year. And that's the most important thing. I'll give a star for the shameful gift – putting cheap candies in the main Christmas tree in the country.