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New York’s Holiday Icon: The Arrival of the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

November 12, 2023

The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Arrives in NYC

Video, photo and overall coverage by Luis Diaz

**The McGinley Family huddled together. They’re the folks who donated the tree to Rockefeller Center. 🙂**

On this beautiful day of November 11, 2023, the 80-foot-tall Norway Spruce, with a diameter of 43 feet, arrived at its new home at Rockefeller Center after having been cut down two days earlier in Vestal, NY. This 12-ton symbol of the holiday season was transported to the city on the back of a 115-foot flatbed trailer.

Upon its arrival, the tree was gently placed between the iconic rink and the towering 30 Rockefeller Building. In a display of precision and care, it was then lifted just above the ground, a hole was expertly drilled into the base of its trunk, and a spike was securely driven in.

This magnificent tree, a generous gift from the McGinley Family, was honored by their participation in the ceremonial driving of the spike. Over the next weeks, this towering spruce will be lovingly adorned with a dazzling array of decorations and over 50,000 twinkling lights, transforming it into a beacon of holiday cheer.

Mark your calendars for November 29, when this radiant symbol of the season will be lit, casting a warm, festive glow over Rockefeller Center.

Below is a time-lapse video of the tree at Rockefeller Center followed by corresponding photos taken at the event.