3. Christmas tree lightings at Rockefeller Center & The South Street Seaport
On December 1st, check out the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center. For more than eight decades, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has stood as a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike. The annual tradition began in December 1931, when a group of workers at the center pooled their money together to buy a 20-foot balsam fir tree decorated with handmade garlands from their families. Over the years, the tree’s decorations have changed to fit the political climate of the United States. During World War II, the tree remained unlit due to blackout regulations and was modestly decorated with patriotic red, white, and blue globes and a wooden star. Years later, in December 2001 following 9/11, the tree was again painted in patriotic colors.
Rockefeller Center hosted its largest-ever tree in 1999. Hailing from Killingworth, Connecticut, it was over 100 feet tall. This year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a 79-foot-tall Norway Spruce from Elkton, Maryland. About 50,000 LED lights adorn the tree, and its three-dimensional Swarovski star, designed in 2018 by architect Daniel Libeskind, features 70 spikes covered in three million crystals.
If you’re in the mood for another Christmas tree lighting, head down the following day to the South Street Seaport. Leading up to the lighting, there will be various live music performances and holiday craft activities. At 8 p.m. an ugly sweater party will take place at Pearl Alley at Pier 17 and from 7 to 9 p.m. visitors will be able to take photos with Santa at 8 Fulton Street.Â
