Every year since 1931, Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is being lighted up for all the residents of the New York City as well as for the visitors. The tree has become a trademark for representing the people about the beginning of the holiday season and an incomparable with the decorations made so far in the United States.  It has attracted a lot of people during the Christmas season thus making it a great tourist spot. People specially come on the day of the lighting up the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and also people do come to visit in the week of Christmas if they couldn’t make it for the first day.

 

In 1931, the Rockefeller center has first lighted a Balsam fir of about 20 feet tall. This tree was actually put by the workers who were constructing the center at that time and they were very proud in doing so at the depression time in the middle of mud and construction debris.

 

But today in front of the Rockefeller Center is a very big 75 to 90 feet tall Norway spruce is decorated to mark the Christmas. The choice of the tree that is to be placed in front of the center is made personally by the manager of the Rockefeller Center Gardens, who will start his search for a perfect tree that Christmas several months before. Every year the Center will be getting photos from people in all parts of the United States and also from Canada, who wish to place their tree in front of the center for Christmas. So the manager will take a tour around the places to choose a perfect one for the center that year.

 

 

Basically, the Norway spruce tree has its origin in Europe and not in North America. But in U.S., this tree is planted in front of the house as a decorative tree which can grow abnormally to 80 to 110 feet high. The center has declared a minimum requirement of 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide in order display a tree for Christmas in front of the Rockefeller Center. But usually the chosen tree will be bigger than the said requirements.

 

Once the tree is chosen then cutting and transporting the tree back to the center is a very tedious task. It requires at least 15 to 20 people to cut the tree and a 180 ton all-terrain hydraulic crane. First the crane will be taken to the location of where the tree is and helps by holding the tip of the tree while cutting. Then it is transported to the center with the help of a truck which has a large telescoping trailer which has the capacity of 125 foot tall tree.

 

When the tree is brought to the location in front of the Rockefeller center, then it will eructed with the help of four large guy wires from all the side and a steel spike that supports the base of the tree. Once set, the tree will then be decorated with lights. You know how much lights they use to decorate the tree??? Don’t faint!!!!  They use nearly FIVE MILLIONS of stringed lights. Do go and have a glimpse of the tree once in your Christmas. Happy Christmas!!!!