A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER TREE LIGHTING
The first-ever Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was erected in 1931 by the construction workers building Rockefeller Center, who pooled their money to fund the would-be marvel.
A 20-foot-tall, unlit balsam fir was decorated with tin cans, paper garlands, and strings of cranberries—decorations that were handmade by the men and their families.
Two years later, in 1933, tree growth occurred with the installation of a 50-foot-tall balsam fir, launching what would become a three-plus-decade-long tradition. (A Norway Spruce was selected for the first time the following year and has become the standard species since). The famed Rink at Rockefeller Center—as it's known today—above which the tree shines, opened in 1936, following that year’s lighting ceremony.
As a result of the start of World War II and restrictions on materials, a simpler design was utilized in 1941. That tree was adorned with red, white, and blue globes (that went unlit) and painted wooden stars.
In 1942, materials and decorations were scarce again. To compensate for a lack of decorations, three smaller trees were planted and decorated in either red, white or blue, to represent each of the American flag’s colors. From 1942 to the end of the war in 1945, the trees went unlit due to blackout regulations as a result of the war.
By 1950 and beyond, as larger trees were accommodated, workers began using scaffolding during the load-in and decorating process, a practice that continues today. Before the decade was up, the massive procedure had grown to require 20 workers, each working for nine days.
Some other fun facts about the Rockefeller Center tree:
- The first live broadcast of the tree lighting ceremony, a tradition that has now endured over 70 years, occurred on NBC in 1951 as part of a special on The Kate Smith Hour.
- 1969 marked the first year Valerie Clarebout’s wire herald angels were added to the mix, adorning the Channel Gardens in front of the tree near Fifth Avenue.
- Consisting of 12 individual sculptures utilizing 75 points of metal wire each, the angels have been flanking the famous tree every year since.
- The 1971 tree from East Montpelier, Vermont, holds the distinction of being the first to be mulched and recycled following the ceremony.
- The Swarovski-encrusted star atop the tree, first introduced in 2004 (weighing in at 550 pounds), has over 3 million crystals across 70 triangular spikes, and backlit by more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights on a little more than five miles of wire. At approximately 900 pounds and standing at 9 feet 4 inches tall, the current iteration was designed by architect Daniel Liebskind and introduced in 2018.
- Today, it’s estimated more than half a million people pass by the tree each day while it’s on display, with the yearly average reaching about 125 million people.
Valerie Clarebout’s wire herald angels. Photo by Brian/Flickr.
A LOOK AT THE 2025 TREE
Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol.
This year’s tree—a Norway Spruce as is tradition—comes from East Greenbush, New York, a suburb of Albany. It was planted by the Russ family some 75 years ago. It weighs about 11 tons, and stands 75 feet tall (a foot taller than last year’s tree) and 45 feet wide.
“The Norway Spruce is great for the scale it can achieve,” says Rockefeller Center Chief Gardener Erik Pauze, explaining why it's the annual choice.
“What I look for in a tree [is] one you would want in your living room but on a grander scale,” he continues. “It’s got that nice, perfect shape all the way to the top….And evoke[s] that feeling of happiness….[Emotion] has a lot to do with it.”
Photo: Angus Mordant.
The 2025 selection comes courtesy of Judy Russ and her son, Liam. While in Rockefeller Center for last year’s tree lighting ceremony, gazing at the tree donated by the Albert Family, they were sparked by an idea.
“We knew someone with a relative who worked at Rockefeller Center,” Judy explains. They were able to get a photo of their spruce in the hands of gardener Pauze, who then came to their house to view the tree in person.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect,” Pauze recalls, proudly detailing how he returned throughout the year to care for the tree.
Judy’s husband and Liam’s father, Dan—who “always talked about [wanting to] be the Rockefeller Center tree,” says Judy—tragically passed away in 2020. The tree, originally planted by Dan’s great-grandparents over 75 years ago, now serves to honor and memorialize Dan and other family members gone too soon.
“It’s so special that my family’s tree gets to be America’s, if not the world’s, Christmas tree,” Judy says.
Photo courtesy of Tishman Speyer.
“I can’t believe this was next to my garage not even a month ago!” she adds, with a laugh.
Following the holiday season and the display period, the tree’s wood will be chopped and donated to Habitat for Humanity—a tradition for all Rockefeller Christmas Trees since 2007—where it’s then used to help build homes and provide shelter for those in need across the country. (The wood is even branded with a special stamp, denoting its source.)
“I cry at home in my living room when the tree is lit, so I’m probably going to be inconsolable that day,” Judy concludes, “but all in all, it’s going to be great. We’re just happy to share it with everybody.”
An international symbol of the holiday spirit, the towering tree was ceremoniously lit on December 3, 2025, and will remain glowing through mid-January 2026. The lights shine on Sunday through Wednesday from 5am to midnight and Thursday through Saturday from 5am to 1am (on Christmas Day, it’s lit for 24 hours, and on New Year’s Eve ‘til 9pm).
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