Christmastime is a very special time of the year. There are some things that just make the holiday season something truly special.
In New York City, one of those things stands on proud display for the city — and the world — to enjoy. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has become an iconic symbol of the holiday season around the world. The grandeur grows with each passing year, leaving behind the history of the tree's humble beginnings.
Over its storied history, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has gone from one of New York City's public trees to the biggest public tree in the country, if not the world.
At the time that the first Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree went up, there was barely a Rockefeller Center. On Christmas Eve 1931, when workers were one year into the construction of the 14-building complex and at the height of the Great Depression, workers at the site pooled funds to buy a Christmas tree to cheer the place up.
The workers were able to purchase a 20-foot balsam fir. They decorated it with different odds and ends from their homes, such as handmade garlands and strings of cranberries. The men lined up at the tree to receive their paychecks.
Two years later, a publicist for Rockefeller Center decided the tree would be a lovely annual tradition. The first official tree lighting was held in 1933 and featured a 50-foot tree.
In 1936, two trees were erected. An ice skating contest was also held to celebrate the opening of the ice rink.
World War II necessitated that the tree lighting and decorating be approached differently. There couldn't be any materials needed for the war used on the three red, white, and blue trees decorated in 1942. It was also the first year that the tree was replanted.
Wartime changes to the tree continued in following years. The 1944 tree remained unlit due to wartime blackout regulations. The war ended in 1945, and to celebrate, six ultraviolet light projectors were used to make it appear as though the tree's 700 fluorescent globes were glowing in the dark.
In 1955, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree went national with the first televised tree lighting. It took 20 workers on scaffolding nine days to fully decorate the tree.
In 2001, we would see the tree patriotically lit in red, white, and blue following the September 11 attacks. That year saw the tree as a symbol of hope and recovery, especially for families spending their first holiday season without their loved ones.
The first Swarovski crystal tree topper was added in 2004. It was a 550-pound Swarovski star that was 9.5 feet wide and featured 25,000 crystals and 1 million facets. It was swapped out for another Swarovski star in 2018, which is 9 feet, 4 inches wide and weighs 900 pounds.
Efforts have been made for a greener tree throughout the years, as well. It was first recycled in 1971. They made the switch to LED lights in 2007, reducing the amount of electricity used by 1,200 kilowatts per day. Today, solar panels on top of the Rockefeller building power the lights.
