London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 05, 2026

PHOTOS: New York City lights the 50,000 bulbs of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

PHOTOS: New York City lights the 50,000 bulbs of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

The 90-year-old tree made its way to Rockefeller Center Saturday morning as New Yorkers and tourists prepare for the start of the Christmas season.

On Wednesday night, thousands of New Yorkers flocked to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree light up for the first time this year.

The 82-foot tree arrived in Manhattan from upstate New York in November and it's illumination is the unofficial indication that it's Christmas time in New York City.



Onlookers waited patiently Wednesday night to see its estimated 50,000 multi-colored lights and giant Swarovski crystal star light up the Rockefeller Center, but the tree attracted local attention before it was decorated.



The Norway spruce was trucked into the city on the bed of a 115-foot trailer from the town of Queensbury — about 200 miles outside of the city — and was lifted by crane to take its place in front of Rockefeller Center, according to local outlets.

The nearly 90-year-old tree will be on display until mid-January, ABC7 reports. 


Those who chose to tune into the ceremonial tree lighting from home watched performances from Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and more, NBC reports.

NBC's "Christmas at Rockefeller Center" special aired on Wednesday night with many celebrity appearances – including a performance by Alicia Keys.


The tree may only be around for less than two months, but it still attracts around 500,000 visitors during its time lighting up the Rockefeller Center, according to a report from Habitat for Humanity.

Once the holiday season is over, the 14-ton tree will be milled into lumber and given to Habitat for Humanity, which provides homes for families in need, Associated Press reports.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
British Carmakers Warn of Growing Pressure From EU-China Tariff Dispute
Green Party of England and Wales Adopts Motion Defining Zionism as Racism
Medical Charity Threatens NHS Legal Action Over Two-Year Autism and ADHD Assessment Waits
British Transport Police Report Record Rise in Violence on Railways
Glasgow Council Workers Face Pay Cuts Under Fire-and-Rehire Plan
British Medical Groups Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Cancel £330 Million Palantir NHS Contract
UK Faces Record Bluetongue Outbreak Across Livestock Farms
UK Schools Report Thousands of Child-on-Child Sexual Offences
High Court Overturns Ban Blocking Gaza Families From Reuniting With Relatives in UK
G7 Authorizes Emergency Fuel Release as UK Diesel Prices Hit £2 a Litre
France and Italy Draw 1-1 in Nations League Match
Pope Leo XIV and Prince Albert II of Monaco Meet in Metz
SNCF Expands Low-Cost Ouigo High-Speed Service Between Lyon and Bordeaux
Paris Expands Dedicated Cargo Bike Routes for Urban Deliveries
French Film Industry Pushes for Tighter Streaming Investment Rules
Marseille Court Hands Down Prison Terms in Public Procurement Corruption Case
LVMH and Kering Rely on US Demand as Chinese Luxury Spending Slows
Toulouse Aerospace Sector Launches €80 Million Modernization Fund
Javier Milei Courts French Investment in LNG and Lithium
Mistral AI Launches Sovereign Model for European Public Services
French Competition Authority Fines Retailers €40 Million Over Misleading Promotions
France Records Exceptional Electricity Exports as Nuclear Output Recovers
Dassault Aviation Expands Rafale Assembly Capacity at Mérignac
Sanofi Invests €1 Billion in New Biologics Production Hub Near Lyon
France Protests Germany’s Extension of Border Controls Into 2027
French Public-Sector and Transport Unions Threaten National Strike
France Deploys Riot Police After Violence in Lyon Suburbs
French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutors Investigate Radicalized Flydubai Co-Pilot
France’s Defense Budget Surpasses NATO’s 2% of GDP Target
French Government Faces No-Confidence Threat Over Budget
France and G7 Release 100 Million Barrels From Strategic Oil Reserves
France Convenes Emergency Defense Council Over Threats to Commercial Shipping
France and Germany Coordinate Military Response After Russian Strikes on Kyiv Infrastructure
UK Police Release Six Iranian Nationals on Bail After RAF Fairford Security Alert
UK Business Confidence Falls as Energy Costs and Tax Uncertainty Rise
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Rise 16% in January
UK Introduces Zero VAT on Household Electricity Bills
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Hits 6% as Bond Market Pressures Intensify
UK Introduces Stricter Subcontractor Checks and Expanded Trade Union Access
Green Party Proposes Three-Year Emergency Freeze on Private Rent Increases
UK Treasury Committee Seeks Tax Clarification Over Manchester City Investigation
Royal Marines Deploy to Faroe Islands for Northern European Security Exercise
UK Business Confidence Weakens as High Costs Delay Investment
UK GDP Growth Revised Up to 0.5% in Second Quarter
Bank of England Warns of Financial Stability Risks From Autonomous AI
UK Expands Early Prisoner Release Scheme to Ease Overcrowding
UK Records Worst Bluetongue Outbreak on Record Across Livestock Farms
UK Government Faces Shrinking Fiscal Headroom Ahead of October 28 Budget
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Reaches 6% as Energy Shock Drives Borrowing Costs Higher
×