The large coniferous evergreen (usually a Norway spruce) that gets erected every November in Rockefeller Square is commonly referred to as the Rockefeller Tree. Once the tree is decorated with glittering lights, it becomes the most recognizable Christmas symbol in New York. It helps attract shoppers to the large array of department stores located in nearby midtown Manhattan.
The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Square was put up on Christmas Eve in 1931 during the midst of the Great Depression. The original tree was only 20 feet tall and was not decorated with any lights, just long strands of colorful material. At that time the square was part of a muddy construction site and the 20 workers who erected the tree were just happy to be getting paid.
The tree is erected in early November but the official lighting ceremony does not occur until the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. After the tree is lit, it remains in place until the early part of January. According to Keith Douglas, a Rockefeller Center spokesman, the tree attracts 750,000 people every year to the center.
Between 2000 and 2009, the Rockefeller tree averaged between 75 and 100 feet in height. Each tree was covered with approximately five miles of lights, which were kept on from 5:30 a.m. till 11:30 p.m. The tree was "guarded" by two rows of angels with long, trumpeting horns. All total there are 12 angels made from twisted aluminum and brass wires. The angels themselves have been a Manhattan holiday tradition since 1954.
A visit to the Rockefeller tree in Manhattan often goes hand in hand with a trip to the Rockefeller Ice Skating Rink. More than 250,000 skaters will make their way onto the ice during the holiday season. The rink sits in the shadow of the giant tree and is open from October to April. The ice skating surface is 122 feet long and 59 feet wide. Admission is charged and there is a limit to 150 skaters at one time.
After its role in the holiday season is done, the tree is milled into lumber and used in buildings. Habitat for Humanity turned the wood from the 2007 tree into material for a home in Mississippi. Since then other trees have been used to help build houses in New York and Connecticut.
