November 13, 2023
This is not about us, but it’s about being of service to other people, giving them that chance to go and make memories by the tree.
Jackie McGinley, who alongside her husband Matt and their two daughters, donated an 80-foot tall tree from their front yard to the Rockefeller Center for this year’s holiday season.
This Year’s Tree: The 80-foot tall Norway spruce was driven down from upstate Vestal, New York to Rockefeller Plaza, where it arrived on Saturday morning. NBC New York reports that “more than 50,000 multi-colored LEDs will be strung over about 5 miles of wire to adorn the 2023 tree,” adding that “It will then be crowned with a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star covered in 3 million crystals.”
The official tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for November 29th.
Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, has scouted for the perfect Rockefeller tree for around 30 years and says, “What I look for is a tree you would want in your living room, but on a grander scale. … And most of all, it’s gotta look good for those kids who turn the corner at 30 Rock; it needs to instantly put a huge smile on their faces,” (Rockefeller Center).
Did You Know? Rockefeller Center workers first made the effort to bring a Christmas tree to life in 1931; the property made it an official tradition in 1933, holding “the very first tree lighting ceremony.” The tallest tree ever featured was in 1999 at 100 feet. After Christmas, the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Read More:
Learn the story behind the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (TODAY)
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrives on the Plaza (NBC New York)
Meet The Man Who Has Picked the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for Three Decades (Rockefeller Center)
by Sarah Pinkerton,
