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The Rockefeller Christmas Tree guide
Every Christmas, thousands of New Yorkers (and tourists) travel to the bright and brilliant nexus of town.
The Rockefeller Tree Lighting is an NYC holiday tradition that brings thousands of New Yorkers (and tourists) to the bright and brilliant nexus of town each Christmas.
Sure, various tree lighting ceremonies take place all over New York, but the show at Rockefeller Center is by far the most renowned. Don’t miss your chance to see the towering tree glowing in Christmas lights for the first time only a few days after Thanksgiving in NYC.
This tree is one of the top New York attractions to visit in person every holiday season. There’s nothing better than going ice-skating, warming up with hot cocoa and taking pictures with the stunning Rockefeller Center tree as your backdrop.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
When is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
The tree itself will arrive in Midtown on Saturday, November 7. After a star-studded light-up night ceremony on Wednesday, December 2, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit for the holiday season. Light-up activities run from 7 to 10pm, with the illumination itself happening at 10pm. You can watch in-person, but prepare for crowds, or catch the broadcast on TV from the comfort of your couch.
Where is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
The Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony is located at Rockefeller Center between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan.
When and where can I visit the Rockefeller Center tree?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be lit daily from 5am to midnight after the special light-up ceremony. On Christmas Day, the tree is lit for 24 hours and on New Year’s Eve it is lit from 5am to 9pm. The tree goes dark for the season on January 9, 2027.
How can I watch the tree lighting on TV?
NBC Studios, headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, airs the live national broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center at 8pm on December 2. Viewers can tune into NBC 4 or watch on Peacock. The host for this year has not been announced.
How big is the tree?
This year's massive Norway Spruce hails from West Edmeston, New York, and is about 75 years old. It will be cut on Thursday, November 5 and arrive at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, November 7. More than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights wrap around the towering tree. It's topped with a three-dimensional Swarovski star that weighs 900 pounds and sparkles with 3 million crystals. Architect Daniel Libeskind designed the stunning star in 2018.
What's the history of the tree lighting ceremony?
The Rockefeller Center tree tradition dates back almost a century. In 1931, construction workers building Rockefeller Center put up a Christmas tree, and the tradition began. Two years later in 1933, the first formal Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony was held; that tree sported 700 lights.
Here's more about the fascinating history of the Rockefeller Center tree.
