The Rockefeller Tree

Well before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, in-the-know New Yorkers gather on the plaza each year for the tree raising. Taking place on Saturday, November 9, this little known event was truly a sight to behold as the mammoth Norway Spruce was driven onto the plaza around 7:30am, and then carefully untied and craned into its new home on the Center Plaza.

The 2019 tree will be lit for the first time on Wednesday, December 4 on Rockefeller Plaza. Each year, thousands crowd the sidewalks for the event and millions watch the live broadcast. The tree will remain lit and on display on the plaza between West 48th and 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues through Friday, January 17, 2020.

• November 9: The Tree arrives on Rockefeller Plaza.
• November 13: The Swarovski star will be raised onto the Tree.
• December 4: The Tree will be lit for the first time on Rockefeller Plaza.
• December 25: On Christmas day, the lights shine for a full 24 hours.
• December 31: On New Year’s Eve, visiting hours are from 6am-9pm.

For the thirteenth consecutive year, the 2019 Christmas Tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. Once the holidays have passed and crowds have dispersed, the tree comes down and is milled, treated and made into lumber that is used for home building. Each year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree continues to be a symbol of hope, and inspired the children’s book, “The Carpenter’s Gift,” written by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMarche in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity.

Until The Next Time Dear Family And Friends, Many Blessings