Get ready to rock around this year's enormous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Updated on Nov. 08, 2024
Every year, Christmas lovers from around the country kick off the holiday season with the annual Rockefeller Center tree lighting in New York City. Whether they tune in to watch on TV or have made a visit to the Big Apple, spectators can catch a slew of festive performances, all designed to celebrate the main attraction: the giant Christmas tree that sits front and center above the iconic skating rink.
But here’s the big question: How much do you really know about the Rockefeller Center tree? If you’re eager to get into the holiday spirit and want to know everything—from when the tree lighting kicks off to how to catch the ceremony to some surprising fun facts—you’re in the right place.
Keep reading as we unwrap all the details on this iconic Christmas tradition so you’re ready for the festivities!
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What is the Rockefeller Center tree like this year?
This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, a towering 74-foot Norway spruce, has been chosen from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Cut down on Thursday, Nov. 7, the massive conifer was carefully lifted onto a flatbed truck by crane for its 140-mile journey to New York City.
Once it arrives, it will stand proudly in Rockefeller Center starting on Saturday, Nov. 9.
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This marks the first time since 1959 that the iconic tree hails from Massachusetts, adding a special touch to this year’s holiday tradition.
How is the Rockefeller Center tree decorated?
So what does it take to decorate a 74-foot-tall, 43-foot-wide Christmas tree? Once the Rockefeller Center tree reaches Center Plaza, it will undergo a spectacular transformation. Over 50,000 multicolored LED lights will bring the tree to life in dazzling color.
You won’t find any Christmas ornaments on this tree, though. Instead, a breathtaking 9-foot Swarovski star, designed in 2018 by architect Daniel Libeskind, will shine brilliantly from above, creating a true holiday masterpiece. Shockingly, the star weighs 900 pounds and is encrusted with 3 million crystals.
When is the Rockefeller Center tree-lighting ceremony?
The Rockefeller Center tree-lighting show is on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. EST.
After Dec. 4, the tree will be lit daily from 5 a.m. EST to midnight. On New Year’s Eve, it will be lit from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST.
How do I watch the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
If you want to watch the tree-lighting ceremony from the comfort of your home, you can tune in to NBC’s live TV broadcast, Christmas in Rockefeller Center. It’s available on Peacock and NBC 4 New York.
What will happen to the Rockefeller Center tree after Christmas?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will remain on display until mid-January 2025. Though Rockefeller Center has yet to announce exactly when it’ll take the tree down, you can rest assured that it will be put to good use. Rockefeller Center will continue its longstanding tradition of donating the tree to Habitat for Humanity so it can be milled, treated and made into lumber for homes.
What else should I know about the Rockefeller Center tree?
It may be the most famous Christmas tree in America, but its history is hardly well-known. Brush up these facts before watching the 2024 Rockefeller Center tree lighting.
- The inaugural Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting in 1933 dazzled with 700 sparkling lights.
- NBC first broadcast the Rockefeller Center tree lighting in 1951 on The Kate Smith Show, and in the mid-1950s, it appeared on The Howdy Doody Show.
- The 50th anniversary of the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting in the ’80s featured a special appearance by Bob Hope.
- In a gesture of goodwill, Canada gifted the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to the United States in 1966 as part of the country’s centennial celebration.
- To create a snowy, wintry look, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was painted silver in 1949.
- The tree first shone with a Swarovski star topper in 2004, marking a new (and sparkly) tradition.
- If you laid out all the wires from the Rockefeller Christmas tree lights end to end, they would stretch an impressive 5 miles.
- In 2021, Maryland had the honor of providing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for the very first time.
- For over 30 years, Erik Pauze, affectionately known as the “Santa Claus of Christmas trees,” has handpicked the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
- In 1942, Rockefeller Center displayed three Christmas trees, each adorned in red, white and blue to boost the patriotic spirit during World War II.
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Sources:
- NBC New York: “Rockefeller Center Christmas tree cut down for journey to NYC”
- AP News: “A green giant: This year’s 74-foot Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is en route from Massachusetts”
- Today: “The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree spans all the way back to 1931”
- Baruch College: “Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting”
