Origins of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The first large Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was erected in 1931 by construction workers during the Great Depression. It was a modest, undecorated tree placed at the center of the construction site. By 1933, the tree became an annual public tradition, and the first formal lighting ceremony took place with official decorations and floodlights.
Notable Trees and Milestones
Over the decades, the tree has grown taller and more elaborate, with the 1942–1944 wartime trees being smaller and unlit due to blackout regulations. In 1998, the tree was a 100-foot Norway spruce from Vermont, and in 2018 a 76-foot tree from Pennsylvania set a modern record for its height and ornament count. Each year, the tree is selected from regions across the northeastern United States and transported to Midtown Manhattan.
Modern Traditions and Public Experience
Today, the tree is typically a Norway spruce, donated or sourced from a specific state, and decorated with a signature Swarovski crystal star and thousands of LED lights. The lighting ceremony draws large crowds and is broadcast globally. After the holiday season, the tree is milled into lumber and often used for Habitat for Humanity projects, a practice documented by the Rockefeller Center official site rockefellercenter.com.
