Massive Upstate New York Spruce Chosen As 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is once again coming from Upstate New York, carrying on a tradition that’s nearly a century old.

From Upstate to the Big Apple: A Dazzling Journey Begins

A 75-foot Norway Spruce from East Greenbush is about to have the kind of holiday season most trees only dream of. This stunning spruce has been chosen as the 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and that’s a pretty big deal for all of us here in New York. The tree will be cut on November 6 and make its way down to the city, arriving at Rockefeller Center just two days later.

Once the tree is settled in, crews will spend days transforming it into pure holiday magic, wrapping it in more than 50,000 twinkling, multi-colored lights and topping it with a breathtaking Swarovski crystal star. You can almost picture it already, can’t you?

READ MORE: Rockefeller Tree Brings Hope For Communities In Need

The Russ Family’s Gift Becomes the World’s Christmas Tree

This tree isn’t just big, it’s breathtaking. Standing 75 feet tall, stretching 45 feet wide, and weighing in at about 11 tons, it’s a true showstopper. But what makes it even more special is the story behind it. The 75-year-old Norway Spruce comes from the Russ family in East Greenbush, who are beyond proud to share their tree with the world. “I’m excited to make more cherished memories with my family and childhood friends as it becomes the world’s Christmas tree,”  Judy Russ, who lives there with her seven-year-old son, Liam told The Center Magazine. Just imagine watching the tree you grew up with become one of the most iconic sights on Earth. That’s a once in a lifetime kind of Christmas story.

Finding the Perfect Tree Takes a True Expert’s Eye

Finding the perfect Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree isn’t as simple as picking the prettiest one on the block, it takes a true expert’s eye. That job belongs to Erik Pauze, the head gardener at Rockefeller Center, who spends months traveling across the region searching for the tree. When he spotted the spruce in East Greenbush, he said he knew right away it was the one. “As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect,” he told The Center Magazine.

Pauze says he looks for a tree that feels like something you’d want in your living room, just on a much grander scale, one that makes people smile the instant they see it. And soon, millions around the world will share that same moment of joy when the lights flicker on for the first time.

A Nearly Century-Old Tradition That Still Brings People Together

This year’s tree isn’t just another decoration, it’s part of nearly a century of holiday history. The tradition began back in 1931 when construction workers building Rockefeller Center decided to put up a Christmas tree to celebrate the season.

Two years later, in 1933, the very first official lighting ceremony took place, and it quickly became one of the most loved holiday events in the country. Almost a hundred years later, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree still has that same magic, drawing people from all over the world and signaling that the holiday season has truly begun in New York City.

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A Sparkling Celebration That Keeps on Giving

The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will glow to life during NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center live broadcast on December 3 at 8 p.m. ET. At the very top, a stunning 900-pound Swarovski star covered in three million crystals will shine over the plaza, while thousands of twinkling lights bring the tree to life below.

The tree will stay on display through mid-January 2026, giving everyone plenty of time to soak in the magic. And when the season comes to an end, the story doesn’t stop there,  the tree will be turned into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity, continuing a beautiful tradition of giving back long after the holidays fade.