Tonight on NBC at 8/7c you can tune into join Justin Bieber, Michael Buble, Carole King, Cee Lo Green and Katharine McPhee for the annual Christmas tree lighting!
This year’s tree is a 74-foot Norway Spruce that was cut down in Mifflinville, Pa., a rural town in the state’s northeastern region, and then moved to Manhattan on a flatbed trailer. The tree, which is approximately 75 years old, was first spotted by the Rockefeller Center team during a routine drive down Interstate-80 in early November. Rockefeller Center’s head gardener said that he saw the tree out of the corner of his eye from the driver’s seat.
For years Debra Keller would take her granddaughters to New York City to take in the holiday sights. But, this year when they visit Rockefeller Center, it will definitely be magical to see be their own tree! “To be honest it won’t be sad to see the tree go,” said Keller, 56, in a statement. “We just feel honored that the tree was chosen and will be enjoyed by so many people when it’s sitting in the middle of Rockefeller Center.”
Since it’s been in place at Rockefeller Center, workers have been busy decorating the huge evergreeen with 30,000 environmentally friendly LED lights using nearly five miles of wire to cover the tree limbs. Then topped off with a Swarovski crystal star, adorned with 25,000 crystals and one million facets.
Tourists present while the tree was being lifted into place Friday Nov. 11, said seeing the giant tree in person was “cool,” and said that it was bigger than they had imagined.
The lighting ceremony scheduled for tonight, the tree will remain lit until Friday Jan. 7. After that, the tree will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity.