The Tree @ Rockefeller Center: A History

 

This is a photo of the first tree ever put up at Rockefeller Center in 1931. The workers at the construction site pooled together their money and bought a 20-foot tree thus starting a long-lasting tradition. Far from the elaborate show today, the original purpose of the tree was to show gratitude for having jobs during the Great Depression. It was decorated with strings of cranberries, garlands made from paper, and tin cans.

In contrast, the tree today is usually over 70 feet tall, covered with over 50,000 lights, and is topped with a crystal Swarovski star worth an estimated $1.2M. The star is made of 25,000 Swarovski crystals and weighs 550 pounds.

The tree this year is 82 feet tall. Since 2007, the tree has been milled into lumber at the end of the season and donated to Habitat for Humanity.