Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Christmas Tree in NYC

This will be my first year in five years not  to be in New York City for the Christmas season.

One of the photos that popped-up on Facebook today was the photo of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.  There is something about the tree that just mesmerizes you.  The beauty, the lights and the thousands of people that surround you.

This year's Norway spruce is 94 feet, 57 feet wide, weighs 36,000 lbs. and has over 30,000 lights(about 5 miles of strands) on the tree.  After the tree comes down after the 1st week of January, it will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and made into lumber that will then be used to build homes.

The tradition of the Christmas tree began on Christmas Eve in 1931.  Workers at the Rockefeller Center construction site decided to pool their money together to buy a 20 foot balsam fir Christmas tree.  They decorated it with handmade garland from their families.  The men lined up at the tree to receive their paychecks.  It was two years later, that the Rockefeller Center decided to make the tree an annual tradition and held the first official lighting ceremony.

The collection of the white lit metal wire herald angels in the Channel Gardens sets the stage for viewing this spectacular tree.

Eighty-five years later, the Christmas tree draws people from all over the world.  The tree has been seen in so many movies throughout the years.  Some of the movies that I think of are the "Elf", "Miracle on 34th Street"; "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York"; "Scrooged" and so many more.

As you make your bucket list, make sure you put Christmas in New York City.

Enjoy the rest of the month and "Merry Christmas"!


2 comments:

Rick Watson said...

I saw it when I was in the Army in 71 but I'd love to go with Jilda.
R

steppingoutshiningthrough said...

You 2 would have a great time in NYC, especially at Christmas!