History Bit – The Rockefeller Tree

Even though I’ve been in New York City for almost 9 years, I always get excited when Christmas rolls around. The city is like a dazzling jewel for the entire month of December, and few things shine more brightly than the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. For me, it’s not Christmas if I don’t stroll down Fifth Avenue and pause for a moment to admire it in all of its glory.

The tree has officially been a staple of NYC’s yuletide decor since 1933 (unofficially since 1931, when Depression era construction workers erected their own tree on the building site) and is usually a Norway spruce ranging from 69 to 100 feet tall. This year’s tree stands at a lofty 76 feet. In recent years, Rockefeller Center’s owner, Tishman Speyer Properties, has made efforts to be more “green” by donating the lumber to Habitat for Humanity and using LED lights to illuminate the tree.

The tree will stand tall and bright until January 6th, so if you haven’t seen this year’s version – GO!