The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Will Take Place This Month — With 50,000 Lights and a 3-million-crystal Star
Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images
Sipping hot chocolate, ice skating in Bryant Park, and meandering down Fifth Avenue while browsing shops with cheerful window displays combine to create the quintessential New York City holiday moment. Christmas in New York City distinctively holds an unparalleled magic: Once you experience it, it will ruin you forever — in the best way, of course.
In a tradition established by Italian immigrants pooling their earnings during the Great Depression, the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree draws locals and visitors to celebrate the merriest time of the year. Here's everything you need to know about this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting.
When is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lit?
The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is an 80-foot Norway spruce from Vestal, New York. At approximately 12 tons, the impressive tree has a 43-foot diameter and is about 80 to 85 years old. After it arrives in Manhattan on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, it will be decorated with more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights and a dazzling Swarovski star topper that weighs about 900 pounds and includes 70 spikes covered in 3 million crystals.
The tree lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at Rockefeller Center, and the televised special, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, will be broadcast live on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. Kelly Clarkson will be the host and a performer for this year's ceremony, so you can expect festive songs that will fully immerse you in the Christmas spirit. The event is open to the public, so make sure to arrive with enough time before the crowd starts to form.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
How long does the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree stay lit?
The tree will remain lit daily from 5 a.m. to midnight through the holidays until Jan. 13, 2024, so plan your visit accordingly. The only notable exceptions are on Christmas Day, when the tree is illuminated for 24 hours, and on New Year’s Eve, when the tree is lit from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Once the holidays are over, this tree will then be milled into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity to help provide housing for families in need. Since 2007, this yearly tradition ensures the tree itself is more than just a grandiose sight to behold; it's also a symbol of hope in the true spirit of Christmas.
Related: 25 Best Christmas Towns in the U.S.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
What do I need to know before visiting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree?
If you plan to visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, be sure to prepare for cooler temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Basking in the glow of the iconic Christmas tree is free for everyone and the perfect way to bring loved ones together this holiday season. Bundle up and make an afternoon adventure of it at The Rink at Rockefeller Center as you ice skate beneath the sparkling lights of the Christmas tree.
For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
