Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Marks the Start of the 2024 Holiday Season!
The famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is now shining bright in New York City, bringing holiday cheer to thousands of visitors.
This massive 11-ton Norway Spruce is covered with more than 50,000 LED lights, making it one of the most stunning sights of the season. Standing tall at 74 feet and spanning 43 feet wide, the tree is a symbol of New York City’s holiday spirit.
This year’s tree comes from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, making it the first tree from that state since 1959. Atop the tree sits a Swarovski star, shining with 3 million sparkling crystals, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The tree’s lighting ceremony marked the official start of the season in New York, with snowflakes falling gently as performances from top stars lit up the night.
Some of the performers included Kelly Clarkson, The Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE, Thalia, and The Radio City Rockettes.
The lighting ceremony has become an annual tradition, attracting people from all over the world to witness the holiday magic.
The tree will be lit every day from 5 a.m. to midnight. On Christmas Eve, the tree will stay lit for 24 hours, while on New Year’s Eve, it will remain glowing until 9 p.m.
After the holidays, the tree will stay up until mid-January 2025, allowing visitors to enjoy it for over a month.
Once the holiday season ends, the tree gets a second life. After being taken down, the tree is cut into beams and sent to a yard in New Jersey.
There, it is turned into two-by-four and two-by-six beams, each branded with the Rockefeller Center stamp. These beams are then donated to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps build homes for families in need.
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