and merry christmas eve from blenheim palace. this is the back garden. ♪ >> nestled on 12,000 acres in the wintry english countryside, blenheim palace is 300 years old, and walking in through the front doors is magnificent >> wow >> reporter: this scale so massive, fit for a 30 foot tree. the palace halls all dressed up and set to a sound track of tchaikovsky. we caught up with lady henrietta spencer churchill who reminds us this house still belongs to a family. >> i remember when i was a child, we used to have open fires, masses of candles, a big buffet laid out there. christmas was a great occasion it was very much for all the cousins to get together. we were having fun one of the -- when my grandfather was alive, we had party crackers and paper hat, and there was always a guest who would go and set his hat on fire >> on his head >> yes, on his head. >> reporter: the palace social historian antonia keeny keeps tabs on visitors and christmases past. >> christmas has always been a really big deal. there are some signatures there, and i wonder if you can