EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. — The towering Christmas tree that will grace Rockefeller Center this holiday season has begun its journey to New York City. This year's majestic Norway spruce, standing at 75 feet (23 meters) and weighing 11 tons, was cut down on Thursday morning in East Greenbush, located approximately 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Manhattan.
With hundreds of onlookers gathering for the momentous occasion, the tree was carefully loaded onto a 100-foot-long (31-meter-long) trailer. It is expected to arrive at the renowned 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Saturday, where it will be positioned in front of the iconic Art Deco skyscraper, overlooking the famous ice skating rink.
The tree will be elegantly adorned with more than 50,000 multicolored, energy-efficient LED lights and topped with a shimmering Swarovski star weighing 900 pounds. The ceremonial lighting of the tree will take place on December 3, during a live broadcast hosted by country music star Reba McEntire, with plans for the tree to remain displayed until mid-January. At the conclusion of the season, it will be transformed into lumber to assist the affordable housing nonprofit Habitat for Humanity.
The beloved tree was generously donated by Judy Russ and her family; it was planted by her husband's great-grandparents back in the 1920s. Judy expressed her gratitude, saying, For this to now become the center of New York City Christmas is incredible.
The tradition of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree began in 1931, originally intended to lift spirits during the Great Depression. The first tree, a modest 20-foot (6-meter) balsam fir, was adorned with handmade garlands created by the workers' families, and the first official lighting ceremony occurred in 1933.
