When winter iciness starts to cover New York City, a special magic awakens at Rockefeller Center. The arrival of the iconic Christmas tree transforms the urban area into a fantasy of snow and ice, and the everlasting hope that it has been communicating for almost a hundred years. Part 1: What is Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree? The Rockefeller Center Tree is not only a beautiful sight; it is also a living part of American history. The beginning of this tradition was quite unexpected in 1931, when New Yorkers who were not fortunate enough and had to work as construction workers during the Great Depression, decided to share their meager income and bought a 20-foot-tall balsam fir tree instead. They decorated it with their families' simple handmade garlands, and a lighthouse of hope was created among the dark economic times. This little gesture was a sign of hope and strength of the community during hard times. The present day has the same old tradition, but with even more magnificent Norway spruces that are decorated with more than 50,000 LED lights and topped off with an incredible Swarovski star. Over the years, the tree lighting has developed into a major televised event featuring world-famous artists, but it still remains the same in its essence: a gathering of people in celebration and hope. The lighting of the tree is the official beginning of the Christmas season for millions of people around the globe. Part 2: Where Can I Watch the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting? If you want to feel the live atmosphere, the public viewing will be held on the sidewalks of Rockefeller Center, between 48th Street and 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of NYC. These places are open first to those who come and are usually packed hours before the ceremony starts. The people should expect a lot of people and little movement once they are in the area. The "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" show is broadcast live on NBC every year. The broadcast of this year's event is set for Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025, from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. EST. To be most comfortable and to have the best view of the performances, it is advisable to watch from home. Part 3: When Does the Rockefeller Tree Go Up? The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was on its way to Manhattan already after being cut down in East Greenbush, New York, on November 6th. This big Norway spruce arrived at Rockefeller Center on November 8th, giving the world its most famous Christmas tree in a little while. The tree's arrival is celebrated with "Meet The Tree Day," a special free event for families. Following its installation, crews begin the meticulous decorating process, which takes several weeks. This includes stringing over 50,000 LED lights and carefully positioning the 900-pound Swarovski star. The completed tree will light up during the live broadcast on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. Part 4: When is Rockefeller Tree Lighting? The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is planned for Wednesday, December 3rd, and the TV broadcast will run from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The tree lighting usually takes place at the end, around 10:00 p.m., after the event has been filled with musical performances and celebrity appearances for the whole day. The timing has become a loved tradition for families across the country. The moment of tree lighting is a great expression of the coming together of weeks of preparation and waiting. The day of the lighting ceremony is followed by the daily illumination of the tree from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. during the rest of the holidays, with extended hours (until midnight) on Christmas and New Year's Eve. This ensures that the visitors have enough time to experience the magic of the tree throughout the season. Part 5: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Schedule The 2025 ceremony for lighting the tree is going to be incredible, with a lineup of entertainment that is going to include nothing less than the country music icon Reba McEntire as the host. The entire night will have artists like Michael Bublé, Gwen Stefani, Marc Anthony, and Halle Bailey, among others, performing, who are all great and well-known artists. This magnificent lineup guarantees three hours of continuous holiday entertainment and musical extravagance, and so many other things. The night escalates to the huge moment when the switch is turned on, hence lighting up the tree that is 75 feet tall, which has 50,000 LED lights and the dazzling Swarovski star atop it. Even though the exact performing order will not be announced until closer to the event, the spectators can look forward to a perfectly coordinated production that works up the excitement all through the night, climaxing in the fairy-tale lighting that marks the start of the holiday season. Part 6: What to Expect at the Rockefeller Tree Lighting Ceremony? The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of getting a good spot to see the fun part of the ceremony. You'll be standing among thousands of other people for a good couple of hours, and it does get a bit uncomfortable, especially if you are right at the back. And once you are positioned in the viewing areas, you won't be able to use any of the public restrooms, so limited personal space and no access to public restrooms should be expected. Therefore, wearing warm layers is especially important, as NYC winters in early December can be painfully cold, and you will have to put up with the freezing temperatures for a long time. The whole event is quite an experience, and there is a lot of singing and laughing around, but your view of the stage might not be that great. Watching the artists on such nice screens is one thing, but when it comes to direct sightlines, only the ones who come the earliest are lucky. Screening is tight, with every single bag checked and large bags, alcohol, and pro cameras included in the list of items not allowed. However, the festival is mainly for feeling who is around rather than just being near the stars. The excitement of the crowd gets its reward in the very last moments of the ceremony when the countdown gets started and the tree gets lit. An amazing sight makes all the difficulties worth the effort. The once black and dried tree becomes a very bright and shining lighthouse, and the picture stays forever in the memory of the audience. After the lighting ceremony, a mass of people scatter little by little, and the visitors at the back will then be able to approach the tree and have their very first pictures taken of the tree in its new glory. Part 7: How Tall is the Rockefeller Christmas Tree? The tree at Rockefeller Center in the year 2025 is 75 feet tall, which is very impressive, and it is a foot taller than the tree that was put up the previous year. This Norway spruce, which is around 75 years old, has a very large diameter of 45 feet, which creates a beautiful and impressive figure of the tree against the Manhattan skyline. The large presence of the tree is a continuation of the tradition of the display of nature's beauty. The tree that has been chosen from East Greenbush, New York, is of great predecessor trees, including the record-breaking 100-foot tree from Killingworth, Connecticut, in 1999. The 2025 tree may not be the tallest in the history of this custom, but it still has the impressive scale that has made the Manhattan Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center an incredible spectacle for visitors of all generations. Part 8: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Tickets The first thing that visitors should know is that no tickets are needed or sold to the general public for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Admission to the areas open to the public is absolutely free and is based solely on the first-come, first-served policy. Any websites or vendors that assert they are selling tickets to the ceremony are scams. Only television networks and corporate sponsors have access to the reserved private viewing area, which is not available for public purchase. Whether you can see the ceremony live directly or not depends on your readiness to come early and wait in the public areas assigned to you. Part 9: When Do They Take Down the Rockefeller Christmas Tree? The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is always an attraction during the festive season as it is lighted and displayed for public viewing. As per the announcement, the 2025 tree will be visible until mid-January 2026, usually going down around January 10th-15th. The precise date for taking down the tree will be made known as we approach the end of the display period. In the wonderful world of sustainability and charity, the tree is not just thrown away after the festivities. Instead, it will be cut into planks and given to Habitat for Humanity, a global housing charity. This marvelous act of the tree's purpose of continuation guarantees that it will be a source of warmth and shelter long after its time of light has gone, thus helping to build houses for the underprivileged. FAQs about Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting 1. What date is the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in 2025? The event of lighting the tree will take place on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. This event is in line with a long-standing custom of holding it on the first Wednesday of December and is the most spectacular celebration that officially marks the beginning of the holiday season in New York City. 2. Will the Rockefeller tree lighting be on TV? The ceremony will be shown live on NBC and will also be streamed on Peacock from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" special will be hosted by Reba McEntire and will include a number of performances by different celebrities, thus enabling the audience around the world to enjoy the magic right from their homes. 3. How long is the Rockefeller Christmas tree up? The tree is maintained from its onset of lighting on December 3rd until mid-January 2026. The public can see the shining tree for about six weeks, and the daily viewing hours are normally from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., so there is a good chance to see this holiday wonder. 4. Where did the Rockefeller tree come from? The 2025 tree is a Norway spruce from East Greenbush, New York, which was given by the Russ family. The family had looked after the tree for more than 60 years on their property. This tree is also a part of the tradition of getting trees from the Northeast and, at the same time, sharing the unique story and the connection of each tree with a very generous donor family. Conclusion The spire that is crowned with the Swarovski star and reaches the winter sky is a continuation of a story that started with workers from the Depression era looking for the light in the dark. The Rockefeller Center Christmas is a glowing promise that, through decades of change, some magic only gets brighter with time. Note the date and time to add this special moment in your holidays. 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