                    Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   (Redirected from The Tree at Rockefeller Center)  Jump to: navigation, search  The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree photographed in December 1987. The tree that year was a 75 ft (23m) high Norway Spruce, decorated with 18,000 lights. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is an annual Christmas tree lighting that takes place in New York City's Rockefeller Center. The tree is erected and lit in early December or late-November. In recent years, the lighting has been broadcast live nationwide on NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center show.[1] The tree, usually a Norway spruce 69 to 110 feet (21 to 33 m) tall, has been put up, with the exception of 1932, every year since 1931 .[2] In 2010, the tree was lit on November 30,[3] and is scheduled to remain illuminated until the first week of January, 2011.[1] The tallest Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was a 100 foot spruce erected in 1999.
Contents
  •  1 Selection and decoration
  •  2 History
  •  3 See also
  •  4 Notes
  •  5 References
  •  6 Further reading
  •  7 External links
	
[edit] Selection and decoration
Many Rockefeller trees were given to Rockefeller Center by donors. The late David Murbach,[4] Mgr. of the Gardens Division of Rockefeller Center, scouted in a helicopter for the desired tree in areas including Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, upstate New York, New Jersey, and even Ottawa, Canada.[5] Once a suitable tree is located, a crane supports it while it is cut, and moves it to a custom telescoping trailer that can transport trees up to 125 feet (38 m) tall, although the width of New York City streets passing through Rockefeller Center limits the height of the trees to 110 ft.
Once at the Rockefeller Center, the tree is supported[6] by four guy-wires attached at its midpoint, and by a steel spike at its base. Scaffolding is put up around the tree to assist workers in putting up 30,000 lights attached to 5 miles (8 km) of wiring.
The star that has topped the tree since 2004 is 9.5 feet (3 m) in diameter and weighs 550 pounds (249.5 kg). This "Swarovski Star" was created by German artist Michael Hammers, who in 2009 additionally designed his own star lighting production. [7] [8]
[edit] History
Although the official Christmas tree tradition at Rockefeller Center began in 1933 (the year the 30 Rockefeller Plaza opened), the unofficial tradition began during the Depression-era construction of Rockefeller Center, when workers decorated a smaller 20 foot balsam fir tree with "strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans" on Christmas Eve (December 24, 1931), as recounted by Daniel Okrent in his history of Rockefeller Center.[9] Some accounts have the tree decorated with the tin foil ends of blasting caps. There was no Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 1932.
The decorated Christmas tree remains lit at Rockefeller Center until the week after New Year's Day, when it is removed and recycled for a variety of uses. In 2007, the tree went "green," employing LED lights.[10] After being taken down, the tree was used to furnish lumber for Habitat for Humanity house construction.[11]
 The first Tree at Rockefeller Center, erected by construction workers in 1931 shortly after the site was cleared Trees used since 2003:
Year Original Location Tree Type Height 
2010	Mahopac, NY [12]	Norway spruce	74 ft	
2009	Bethel, CT [13]	Norway spruce	76 ft	
2008	Hamilton, NJ [14]	Norway spruce	72 ft	
2007	Shelton, CT [15]	Norway spruce	84 ft	
2006	Ridgefield, CT[16]	Norway spruce	88 ft	
2005	Wayne, NJ[17]	Norway spruce	74 ft	
2004	Suffern, NY[18]	Norway spruce	71 ft	
2003	Manchester, CT[19]	Norway spruce	79 ft	
[edit] See also
  •  National Christmas Tree
  •  Rockefeller Center
[edit] Notes
  •  ^ abLambert, Bruce (December 5, 2008). "A Christmas Tree That Manhattan's Can Look Up To". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/nyregion/long-island/07treeli.html?scp=1&sq. Retrieved December 14, 2008. 
  •  ^ Tree Facts, 2007 (pdf), The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center[dead link]
  •  ^ Past tree lighting times at Rockefeller Center
  •  ^ Rockefeller Center Christmas tree hunter David Murbach dies just before Christmas
  •  ^ "Rockefeller Center's tree". about.com. http://manhattan.about.com/od/historyandlandmarks/a/rockefellercent_5m.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  •  ^ Youtube - In New York, a Big Tree Takes Its Place
  •  ^ Berger, Paul (2005-12-04). "A Star Is Reborn". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/nyregion/thecity/04star.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-05-29. 
  •  ^ Barron, James (2009-11-18). "A Star Makeover". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE2DA173AF93BA25752C1A96F9C8B63. Retrieved 2009-12-11. 
  •  ^ Daniel Okrent, Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center. New York: Viking Press, 2003 (p. 188) (ISBN 0-670-03169-0)
  •  ^ "The tree at Rockefeller Center". Rockefeller Center. 2007. http://www.thetreenyc.com/smartTree.php. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  •  ^ "LEDs will light up Rockefeller Christmas tree". CNN. 2007. Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071123161112/http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/21/green.christmas.ap/index.html. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  •  ^ "Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree donated by family of Ground Zero FDNY veteran". New York Daily News. 2010-11-11. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/11/2010-11-11_rockefeller_center_christmas_tree_donated_by_family_of_ground_zero_fdny_veteran.html. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
  •  ^ "Christmas tree going up in NY's Rockefeller Center". The Associated Press. 2009-11-12. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivE9G8JKwGM3qANq3oAQlcRa65zAD9BTV1901. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "Hamilton tree headed for Rockefeller Center called 'miracle'". NJ.com. 2008-11-13. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/hamilton_tree_fheaded_or_rocke.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "H2007 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree From Shelton, Connecticut". About.com. 2007-11-09. http://forestry.about.com/b/2007/11/09/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-from-ridgefield-connecticut.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "Connecticut Tree Spruces Up Rockefeller Plaza". Fox News. 2006-11-10. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177278,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "Katrina, Rita Kids Light Rockefeller Tree". Fox News. 2005-12-01. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177278,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "NYC - Rockefeller Christmas and Tree - New York City". http://www.newyorkled.com/moreNYseasonal_christmas_Rockefeller-Tree.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  •  ^ "NYC - Rockefeller Christmas and Tree - New York City". http://www.newyorkled.com/moreNYseasonal_christmas_Rockefeller-Tree.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
[edit] References
  •  The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller CenterISBN 0-9650308-7-3
  •  "Christmas Tech". Modern Marvels. 2006-12-20.
[edit] Further reading
  •  Moseman, Andrew. "How Riggers Raise the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree: Live on Scene", Popular Mechanics, November 14, 2008, accessed December 21, 2008.
[edit] External links
	Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree	
  •  2006 Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Image Gallery
  •  Christmas at Rockefeller Center, NBC.com
  •  Insider Guide to Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, nycinsiderguide.com
  •  Happy Holidays from NBC ('08-'09)
  •  Happy Holidays from NBC ('09-'10)
  •  Tree Lighting Times at Rockefeller Center, NYSGO.com
  •  The Swarovski Star
	
v • d • e Christmas trees 
	
Cultivation	Christmas tree cultivation · Christmas tree cultivation history · Christmas tree pests and weeds 	
		
Production	Christmas tree production · Canadian production · U.S. production 	
		
Artificial	Artificial Christmas tree · Aluminum Christmas tree · Feather Christmas tree 	
		
Decorations	Candy cane · Christmas ornament · Christmas lights · Garland · Pleated Christmas hearts · Shiny Brite ornaments · Szaloncukor · Tinsel · Tree topper · model trains 	
		
Individual trees	Boston · California Capitol · U.S. Capitol · Grove (L.A.) · Lisbon (Portugal) · Macy's · Milwaukee · Mount Ingino (Italy) · U.S. National Tree · Rockefeller Center · Trafalgar Square (London) · Vatican · White House 	
		
Trade groups	American Christmas Tree Association · British Christmas Tree Growers Association · Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association · National Christmas Tree Association 	
		
Other topics	"Attack of the Mutant Artificial Christmas Trees" · Chrismon tree · Christmas tree stand · Festive ecology · Hanukkah bush · Holiday tree · Rouse Simmons · Singing Christmas Tree · Tree tyer 	
	
v • d • e Christmas 
	
Core topics	Christmas Eve · Christmas Day · Decorations · Economics · Gift giving · History
	  Christmas tree  	
			
In Christianity	Adoration of the Magi · Adoration of the Shepherds · Advent · Angel Gabriel · The Annunciation · Annunciation to the Shepherds · Bethlehem · Biblical Magi · Christmastide · Epiphany · Herod the Great · Jesus · Joseph · Mary · Massacre of the Innocents · Nativity of Jesus · Nativity of Jesus in art · Nativity of Jesus in later culture · Nativity scene · Saint Nicholas · Star of Bethlehem · Twelfth Night
		
			
In folklore	Belsnickel · Christkind · Ded Moroz · Elves · Father Christmas · Grýla · Joulupukki · Knecht Ruprecht · Korvatunturi · Krampus · La Befana · Le Père Fouettard · Mrs. Claus · North Pole · Olentzero · Père Noël · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Santa Claus · Santa Claus's reindeer · Santa's workshop · Sinterklaas · Vertep · Yule Lads · Zwarte Piet
		
			
Traditions	Advent calendar · Cards · Cookies · Crackers · Events and celebrations · Films · Flying Santa · Food · Holiday parades · Lights · Markets · Meals and feasts · NORAD Tracks Santa · Nutcrackers · Ornaments · Plants · Santa Claus parade · Secret Santa · Stamps · Stockings · Tree · Twelve Days of Christmas · Wassailing · Yule Goat · Yule log
		
			
By country	Germany · Ireland · Philippines · Poland · Serbia · Ukraine
		
			
Music	Albums · Carols · Hit singles · Songs
		
			
Other media	Fiction · Films · Onstage · Television (episodes · specials)
		
			
In society	Boxing Day · Christmas and holiday season · Christmas club · Christmas controversy · Christmas creep · Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 · Christmas in July · Christmas in August · Christmas in Puritan New England · Christmas in the American Civil War · Christmas in the post-War United States · Christmas-linked holidays · Christmas Mountains · Christmas nomenclature and language · Christmas truce · Running of the Santas · SantaCon · Super Saturday · White Christmas · Winter festivals · "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" 		
Coordinates: 40°45′31″N 73°58′42″W﻿ / ﻿40.75861°N 73.97833°W﻿ / 40.75861; -73.97833
 Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_Center_Christmas_Tree" Categories: Individual Christmas trees | Culture of New York City | Rockefeller CenterHidden categories: All articles with dead external links | Articles with dead external links from November 2010 Personal tools
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