Learn how the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has become a signal of the holiday season in New York.
Raising the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a cherished tradition with roots dating back to 1931. It all started on a cold night during the Great Depression when workers at the Rockefeller Center construction site decided to bring a little cheer to their rather grim holiday season. They pooled their money to buy a 20-foot balsam fir and decorated it with homemade garlands made by their families. Though modest, this first tree symbolized hope and resilience in difficult times.
In 1933, the tradition became official when Rockefeller Center held its first public lighting ceremony. That year, the tree was adorned with 700 lights and the event marked the beginning of an annual spectacle that would grow in scale and grandeur. But from 1942 to 1945, no materials essential to America’s World War II effort were used to decorate it, and the Rockefeller Center tree went unlit due to blackout regulations.
Over the 80 next years, the tree has become a towering symbol of the season, with recent trees often standing over 75 feet tall. The 1999 Norway spruce from Killingworth, Connecticut, was 100-foot-tall, making it the official record holder. The tree is now decorated with over 50,000 LED lights, covering nearly five miles of wire, and is topped with the massive Swarovski Star that features 3 million Swarovski crystals and weighs 900 pounds.
The lighting ceremony, typically held on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, draws huge crowds and is broadcast to millions. From humble beginnings, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree signals the official start of the holiday season in the Big Apple—and beyond.
In the featured image above, Santa Claus is supervising the Christmas tree installation at Rockefeller Plaza in New York on December 5, 1951.
Looking for more MCM Christmas history? Read on The Christmases of the 40s, 50s and 60s and All About Aluminum Christmas Trees. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube for more Atomic Ranch articles, house tours, and ideas!
