While many holiday traditions are being reimagined due to coronavirus restrictions, New York City’s Rockefeller Center will soon have its signature Christmas tree and annual ceremony, the Associated Press reported.
The 75-foot, 11-ton Norway spruce tree was cut down in upstate New York on Thursday and will soon be on its way in a flatbed to Manhattan, according to the AP.
Say hello to the 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree! Hailing from Oneonta, NY, this Norway Spruce will arrive at Rockefeller Center this Saturday, November 14 to kick off the holiday season.
How tall do you think this year’s tree is? pic.twitter.com/UMmxiY3toV— Rockefeller Center (@rockcenternyc) November 11, 2020
Al Dick of Daddy Al’s General Store in Oneonta donated the tree, which will be set up at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, developed Tishman Speyer said in a press release, according to the AP.
The head gardener at Rockefeller Center, Erik Pauze, said he had his eye on the tree during a previous visit to Oneonta in 2016, and said that 2020 was the “perfect year to use it,” according to NBC New York.
We are just a couple of minutes away from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree being cut down to be used for the holiday season. Crews are gearing up, the crane is ready to go— I will be live streaming the process on the @WBNG12News Facebook page!! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/aEBSjLycIT
— Julia Gorman WBNG (@JuliaGormanWBNG) November 12, 2020
The tree will be wrapped with roughly 35,000 LED lights, and then topped with a star made of Swarovski crystals.
Details about the annual tree-lighting ceremony will also be shared in the coming days, the developers said. “This year, we just feel the tree is vital,” the developers added.
The event will be televised on NBC on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., according to NBC.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: The 73-foot Norway Spruce Rockefeller Christmas tree sits atop Rockefeller Plaza minutes after being lighted by US First Lady Hillary Clinton at the 66th annual tree lighting ceremony 02 December in New York City. (MATT CAMPBELL/AFP via Getty Images)
A number of other holiday traditions have been altered or canceled due to the pandemic. (RELATED: Macy’s Cancels 160-Year-Old Christmas Tradition Due To Pandemic)
Macy’s won’t be hosting Santa Claus this year disrupting a nearly 160 year tradition. Due to the crowds the event attracts to the store’s Santaland packed with toys, Christmas trees, and elves, the company will instead offer a free online experience on its website to “safely bring the magic of Santa Claus to children of all ages this year,” a statement to the AP said.
Macy’s has made changes to its annual parade to avoid the typically large gathering, which Americans travel across the country to see in Manhattan.
The route has been shortened, and will not involve a march down the streets of Manhattan. The overall number of participants in the parade was reduced by 75%, all participants will be social distanced and wearing face masks. The event will be television-broadcast only, according to the event website.