On Wednesday evening, December 3rd, the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony was held at the Rockefeller Center in New York. The event also featured a grand music concert with many artists performing, as crowds of people braved the cold wind to witness the magical moment when the Christmas tree was lit up.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is one of the most popular holiday destinations in New York City, attracting a large number of fans every year since 1931. The lighting ceremony that began in 1933 has become a major event.
Each year, the selection, installation, and decoration of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree garner much attention. This year’s tree is a 75-foot-tall, 11-ton Norway spruce from East Greenbush, New York, with a tree age of over 60 years. It arrived at the Rockefeller Center on November 8th.
After nearly a month of decorating, the Christmas tree is adorned with over 50,000 LED lights. The star decoration at the top of the tree is embedded with 3 million Swarovski crystals, weighing a total of 900 pounds, creating a dazzling display.
The lighting ceremony this year was hosted by renowned American country singer Reba McEntire and began at 7 p.m. Performances by artists such as Marc Anthony, Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, New Edition, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, and the highly anticipated Radio City Rockettes dance group, helped set the festive atmosphere for the audience.
Around 10 p.m., amidst the countdown cheers, the Christmas tree, symbolizing holiday joy and warmth, was officially lit up in the night sky of Midtown Manhattan, marking the start of the globally renowned New York Christmas season.
According to the organizers, the Christmas tree will be lit daily from 5 a.m. to midnight starting from December 4th. It will shine continuously on Christmas Eve and until 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, with the exhibition continuing until mid-January next year.