How Is the Christmas Tree Brought Into NYC & Rockefeller Center?
The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will go to a good cause after the holidays.
From start to finish, getting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to New York City every year is a detailed and careful process. A lot needs to happen before the public can watch the annual lighting ceremony on NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center.
So how exactly is the Christmas tree brought into Rockefeller Center? How does it get decorated? And how far did the tree travel in 2024? Below is everything you need to know about this year’s towering Norway Spruce and how to watch the festive lighting ceremony on NBC.
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How did the 2024 Christmas tree get to Rockefeller Center?
Safely and securely! In early November, the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree traveled around 140 miles from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts to Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on the back of a flatbed truck.
On November 7, a crew arrived at the home of the Albert family, who donated the nearly 70-year-old Norway Spruce. After the crew cut down the 74-foot, 11-ton tree with a chainsaw, local carolers dressed as elves and reindeer sang “Oh Christmas Tree” as a crane then carefully placed it on the back of the flatbed truck to transport it to Manhattan.
Once the tree arrived in New York City on November 9, another crane hoisted it off the truck and placed it in its traditional spot in Rockefeller Plaza, overlooking the ice skating rink.
How is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree decorated?
After the tree is placed in Rockefeller Plaza, scaffolding is then installed around the tree. Workers can then safely decorate the massive conifer with over 50,000 LED multi-colored lights and a 900-pound Swarovski crystal star on top before the annual tree lighting ceremony on December 4, 2024.
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This time lapse video from NBC New York shows the whole, impressive process from start to finish.
What happens to the Rockefeller Center tree after Christmas?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be decorated and on display until mid-January 2025. After it’s taken down, the tree is donated to Habitat for Humanity.
“Each year since 2007, lumber milled from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been used to help a family build their Habitat home,” the nonprofit explains, adding that the donated lumber from the Norway Spruces has been used to help build homes in several states including New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Mississippi.
A spokesperson from Habitat for Humanity International told The Center Magazine that once the Christmas tree is taken down for the season, it’s cut into large pieces to be transported to a mill in New Jersey. “The wood from a Norway spruce is flexible and durable, which makes it good for use in flooring, furniture, and cabinetry,” they explained.
How to watch Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 2024
You can watch the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony live on NBC and Peacock on December 4 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET during NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center broadcast.
Hosted once again by Kelly Clarkson, Christmas in Rockefeller Center will feature several performances and celebrity appearances. Expect to see a few high-kicks from Radio City Rockettes and hear many festive songs sung by Clarkson, the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE, and Thalia. NBC’s TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin will also make an appearance during the special.
