Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The holiday season hasn't officially started until thousands of twinkly lights light up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Department stores might start selling holiday décor months before snow hits the ground, but the true countdown to Christmas begins when the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is lit in NYC. Millions of people visit the tree every holiday season, and it’s a major operation to get the towering evergreen to Manhattan before Christmas.
The details for the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree have been announced, so here’s what we can expect to happen this holiday season.
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When does the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree go up?
This year's massive Norway Spruce arrived at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan on November 9, 2024 from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on the back of a big flatbed truck. Once it's placed in the plaza, secured by scaffolding, workers have a few weeks to get the tree all trimmed and decorated before the annual tree lighting ceremony.
When will the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree be lit in 2024?
This year’s tree lighting ceremony takes place on December 4, 2024, the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.
How can you watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting?
You can watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony live on December 4 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock as part of NBC's annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special, hosted by Kelly Clarkson.
"[The holiday special is] filled with the best music, star-studded surprises, and of course the lighting of the world famous Christmas tree that is so special," Clarkson said on her talk show about hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center for the second year in a row.
Christmas in Rockefeller Center will also feature festive performances from Clarkson, the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE, and Thalia. The Radio City Rockettes will also put on a festive performance.
In addition to the many performance, NBC’s TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin will also join the tree lighting ceremony.
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How long is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on display?
For several weeks! In 2024, the tree will be lit up and on display until mid-January 2025, so you have ample time to catch a glimpse of it in person.
Or, if you don’t want to brave the cold, you can simply watch NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special again and again this holiday season on Peacock.
How many lights are on the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree?
Thousands. The tree is decorated with more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights, leaving no branch untouched. Since 2018, the tree also features a ginormous 900-pound Swarovski star topper, designed with a whopping 3 million crystals and 70 spikes.
Where is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree from this year?
The 2024 Rockefeller Christmas tree is from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, roughly 130 miles from the plaza. The last time the tree came from this area was in 1959.
In past years, the tree has also come from upstate New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, and even Canada.
Who picks out the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree?
That job belongs to Erik Pauze, the head gardener for Rockefeller Center. The horticulturist, who’s worked at Rockefeller Center since he was in college in 1988, has been in charge of scouting and selecting the Christmas tree for years now and always looks for a tree that can make you feel that holiday magic.
“What I look for is a tree you would want in your living room, but on a grander scale,” he told The Center Magazine. “It’s got that nice, perfect shape all around. And most of all, it’s gotta look good for those kids who turn the corner at 30 Rock; it needs to instantly put a huge smile on their faces. It needs to evoke that feeling of happiness.”
