Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

The world famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is one of the hallmarks of Christmas in New York City.

Each year a tree is carefully chosen, cut down, and brought to New York City's Rockefeller Center in early November.

The tree is illuminated for the first time in a televised lighting ceremony that takes place the week after Thanksgiving.

Millions of New Yorkers and New York City visitors marvel at the splendid tree every Christmas season.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

The 79th annual lighting ceremony for the Christmas tree will take place in Rockefeller Center on November 30th, 2011 at 7 p.m.

The ceremony is always a big event with well-known musical performers. If you plan on showing up to the event, be sure to arrive at least several hours early and expect huge crowds.

To watch it live from your home, tune in to NBC's Annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center Special" from 7 to 9 p.m. eastern time (times subject to change).

The Journey of a Future Christmas Tree

How does a massive tree get to the middle of Rockefeller Center...?

...On the back of a flatbed tractor trailer!

Once in position next to the Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink, the tree spends some time "getting fancy". It is covered in scaffolding so that electricians can string the tree with five miles of wire holding 30,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

Workers fix up the world's most famous Christmas Tree.

Holiday Season Bragging Rights

The 2011 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a 74-foot Norway spruce. It came from the yard of the Keller Family in Mifflinville, Pennsylvania.

Think there's a tree in your yard that might measure up?

It’s not easy to qualify as one of the world’s most famous Christmas trees. The minimum size requirements are 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide, but of course bigger is better. No compensation is offered for the tree but you can’t beat the bragging rights!

Past Trees

The 2010 tree came from the yard of Peter and Stephanie Acton of Mahopac, New York. As a New York City firefighter, Mr. Acton was a first responder on 9/11. The tree was a Norway spruce measuring 74 feet tall.

The 2009 tree was also a Norway spruce that came from the yard of Maria Corti, a fifth-grade teacher in Easton, Connecticut. The tree measured 76 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter.

The tallest tree to date was a 100-foot tree in 1948.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in Numbers

30,000 - Number of multicolored LED lights illuminating the tree.
5 - Miles of lights stringing the tree the tree.
1931 - The year the first Christmas Tree was set up in Rockefeller Center, by workers building the complex.