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The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was lit for the 88th time on Wednesday night, bringing a bit of holiday joy in what's been a very difficult year for New York City.
The 75-foot-tall Norway spruce from Oneonta, NY was illuminated with more than 50,000 multi-colored, energy-efficient LED lights, which were strung on five miles of wire. A stunning Swarovski star tops the tree.
The lighting, which took place between 8 and 10pm on December 2, saw performances by the Radio City Rockettes and artists such as Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Earth, Wind & Fire and Meghan Trainor.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Tishman Speyer President and CEO Rob Speyer pushed the button to light up the tree.
"This year, we just feel the tree is vital," Speyer said. "The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree always represents the holiday season, but it has also stood tall as a symbol of hope, resilience, and New York’s enduring spirit, from the Great Depression to 9/11, Superstorm Sandy through today. 2020 has been a difficult year, but New Yorkers have persevered, and we are determined to come back better and stronger. We are particularly proud to continue the joyous tradition this year.”
Watch it light up below:
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The tree, which is selected by Tishman Speyer through an application process, was donated this year by Daddy Al’s General Store owner Al Dick in Oneonta.
But while it garnered some criticism in November over its initial scrawny look, the tree did not disappoint last night. It may have had "extensions" (branches) added to get it this point, but we all need a little sprucing up, don't we?
The tree also got attention for the small saw-whet owl that accidentally made the trek from Upstate New York to the big city within its branches. The owl was taken to the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties and released nearby.
Rockefeller Center started lighting its Christmas tree in 1933, when a Christmas tree decorated with 700 lights was placed in front of the then-RCA Building.
The tree has become an annual tradition, only going missing from 1942 to 1944 during World War II. Luckily for us, the pandemic didn't stop the lighting this year.
The lighting may have been closed to the public this year, but you can still visit the Christmas tree. But there is a new set of rules to follow.
You can access it only after waiting in a virtual line, between 6am and midnight. Guests will have to scan a QR code to see their wait time and receive a text message to return to the entrance, which will be at 49th and 50th Streets at Fifth and Sixth Avenues only. Only groups of four or fewer will only have five minutes to see the tree and then will be escorted out of the area.
Of course, social distancing and masks will be required while on the premises. Learn more about the rules here.
If you'd rather catch the tree from your couch, you can see a livestream of the lit Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree from 8am to midnight each day at rockefellercenter.com.
When the holiday season is over, the Christmas tree will be donated to Habitat For Humanity to be used to build houses for low-income families.
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