The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree acts each holiday season as a luminous magnet for camera-toting visitors. It towers above the ice-skating rink, with the golden statue Prometheus near its apron, carrying on a custom as old as Rockefeller Center itself—starting back in the early 1930s when the Midtown complex was still under construction.
The folks at Rock Center accept submissions each year. What do they look for in a specimen? A nicely shaped Norway spruce, typically at least 75 feet tall and dense enough that you “shouldn’t be able to see the sky through it,” according to head gardener Erik Pauze. Being from the tristate area generally helps—long distance is a consideration, but it’s not a deal breaker (1998’s tree was flown in from Ohio, and there was one from Canada way back when). The selection process takes a while, during which time the winner generally makes itself known. As Pauze says, “Sometimes I visit a tree several times over the year, [to] watch it grow or fill out. But when I see the perfect one, I just know it.”
Courtesy, Diane Bondareff/Invision for Tishman Speyer/AP Images
The tree goes into place roughly in mid-November and is lit on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. Come November 29 this year, singer and TV host Kelly Clarkson will lead the official lighting ceremony, which is attended by many and broadcast on NBC. She will also perform; expect other performers to be announced soon. The tree stays lit and on view until mid-January. Check back here and on the official Rockefeller Center site for further updates and any specifics to keep in mind when visiting.
Pining for more info? We’ll go out on a limb and guess you are. Here’s some tree trivia to keep you waxing botanic through the holiday season.
This year’s model (2023 edition)
Height: 80 feet
Weight: 12 tons
Species: Norway spruce
Hometown: Vestal, New York
Age: Roughly 80 to 85 years old
Date to be felled: November 9
Date to be put in place: November 11
Date of tree lighting: November 29
Up until: January 13, 2024
Number of lights: 50,000+
Courtesy, Tishman Speyer
Through the years
1931 First Christmas tree on the grounds, put up by construction workers
1933 First official year of Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
1941 Four reindeer, in pens, flank the tree; later, they move to the Bronx Zoo
1942–44 Tree goes unlit due to World War II
1949 The tree is painted silver, ostensibly to make it look more wintry
1966 A white spruce hailing from Canada becomes the first tree from outside the US
1981 Last time a species other than a Norway spruce (in this case, another white spruce) is chosen
1997 Tree from Stony Point, NY, is transported by barge down the Hudson River
1999 Tallest tree ever, at 100 feet
2016 Tony Bennett, at the age of 90, performs at the ceremony for the fourth time in seven years (he performed again in 2018)
2021 A tree from Elkton, Maryland, is chosen, the most recent time that the tree came from out of New York State
Swarovski crystal star. Photo: Adam Kuban
Fast facts
* Why a Norway spruce? Our research indicates that its characteristics of a straight trunk and the ability to resist wind make it a sturdy choice; and its size, on average between 80 and 100 feet at full maturity, matches Rockefeller Center’s height requirements.
* For the most part, the same LED lights, which were first introduced in 2007, are used each year (though their total number has grown from around 30,000 to more than 50,000).
* The Swarovski-crystal star that tops the tree first appeared in 2004—and was reimagined by architect Daniel Libeskind for 2018. The new version has 3 million crystals, 70 glass spikes and, with a brightness of 106,000 lumens, was said to perhaps be powerful enough to "turn night into day." Regardless, it it very bright!
* In a typical holiday season, organizers estimate around 750,000 people come by per day to visit the tree.
* Those in charge maintain the tree with regular watering—as it’s outside, it retains its freshness better than it would in a house or apartment.
* The inaugural tree lighting was broadcast on radio in 1933; 18 years later it made its televised debut on the Kate Smith Evening Hour.
* After the tree is done spreading holiday cheer, it’s sent on its merry way to be used as lumber for Habitat for Humanity.
