Norwegian Spruce arrives to kick off Christmas in NYC
Millions of people were waiting for this moment. On Saturday, the traditional Norwegian spruce arrived at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. This officially marks the beginning of the Christmas season in New York.
2:11 PM EST, November 11, 2024
According to the "Bild" service, the Albert family from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts donated the tall coniferous tree. It is the first tree since 1959 to be cut down in this particular state. The spruce was cut down last Thursday morning, and then the giant tree was loaded onto a low-bed trailer and embarked on a 140-mile journey to New York.
The dimensions of the New York tree are impressive. Its height reaches almost 75 feet, and the diameter is 43 feet. This year's spruce weighs 22,000 pounds. The tree will be adorned with 50,000 colorful LED lights, strung along a 5-mile light string. At the top is a 900-pound star, decorated with 3 million Swarovski crystals.
The tree-lighting ceremony attracts crowds from all over New York City. This year's event is scheduled for December 4.
The history of the New York tree
As "Bild" recalls, the tradition of setting up the Christmas tree dates back to the Great Depression. In 1931, construction workers involved in building Rockefeller Center set up the first 20-foot tree. It was a Norwegian spruce decorated with garlands of cranberries, paper chains, and even cans.
The tree quickly became one of New York City's symbols, turning into one of the city's biggest Christmas attractions. In 1999, Rockefeller Center set up the tallest tree in history, a 100-foot spruce donated by Cathy and Jimmy Thomson from Killingworth, Connecticut.
The head gardener of Channel Gardens carefully selects the tree, traveling in the summer to search for the perfectly symmetrical tree.
