Mary Gilmore, Staff Writer
The holiday season officially begins when the Rockefeller tree is put up in New York City. This year, the tree will be put up around November 8th and officially lit on December 3rd.
From East Greenbush, New York, this year’s tree is a Norway Spruce that stands at 75 feet tall and weighs 11 tons. It’s estimated to be 75 years old. This tree grew in the yard of the Russ family for over six decades before being chosen as the iconic Christmas display.
East Greenbush, New York is a thriving suburban town in Rensselaer County, just five miles southeast of Albany. East Greenbush spans over 24 square miles and is home to approximately 16,700 residents.
The selection process for the Rockefeller tree is extremely detailed and serious. Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, has overseen this tradition for years. Pauze visited the upstate farm after a photo of the tree was given to him by a Rockefeller Center security supervisor earlier this year, Rockefeller Center reps said. “As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect,” Pauze told The Center Magazine regarding the Russ’s tree.
“What I look for is a tree you’d want in your living room, but on a grander scale,” he said. “It needs to make people smile the second they see it.”
The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree began during the Great Depression in 1931. Construction workers building the Rockefeller Center pooled their money to buy a small tree which they decorated with homemade garlands. This was so special and cherished that in 1933, the first official lighting ceremony was held.
Over the decades, the tree has grown in size and spectacle. Today, the tree contains over 50,000 multicolored LED lights and is topped with a 9-foot Swarovski crystal star that weighs 900 pounds. The lighting ceremony is now broadcast nationwide, drawing millions of viewers both online and in-person.
Each year, the tree tells a story about its roots to its fame. This year’s tree from rural East Greenbush explains the history of upstate New York and its connection to New York City. This year’s tree being from the Russ family also tells the story of a tree that has seen New York from the 1950s, and will now be viewed in a whole new light.
“I’m excited to make more cherished memories with my family and childhood friends as it becomes the world’s Christmas tree,” Judy Russ told The Center Magazine.
For Judy Russ and her son Liam, the donation is deeply personal. Their gift is a reminder that even the most iconic traditions are rooted in everyday lives.
Hosted by Reba McEntire, the annual tree lighting ceremony is set for December 3rd. “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” will air live at 8 pm EST on NBC and stream on Peacock. The tree will remain on display at Rockefeller Center until the middle of January 2026. After the holiday season concludes, the tree will be turned into lumber and given to Habitat for Humanity.
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