NEW YORK – The best time of year, holly and merry, got a light-filled launch on Wednesday, when the iconic Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was officially lit.
The 79-foot Norway spruce, covered in more than 50,000 lights in a rainbow of colors and featuring a 900-pound star covered in glass, was lit at a ceremony in midtown Manhattan once again open to the public, in contrast to last year. the virus, when the event was impacted.
The lighting was televised on NBC and hosted by NBC’s “Today” hosts Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin. Musical performances included Harry Connick Jr., Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, and Alessia Cara. High-scoring radio City Rockettes was also part of the celebration.
The first Christmas tree was placed in Rockefeller Center by men who worked there in 1931. This year’s tree came from Elkton, Maryland, where it remained for more than 80 years outside of a family home.
Take a look at the video above to see a time lapse from the tree’s arrival to the moment it was first lit up this season.
If you missed the first lighting and want to see the tree at a later date, the 2021 Christmas tree will be lit every day from 6am to midnight. On Christmas day, the tree is illuminated for 24 hours. On New Years Eve, it lights up from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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