Holiday spirit returns as Rockefeller Center’s 2025 Christmas Tree makes its way to New York City

The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has reached the Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on November 8, 2025, officially marking the start of the holiday season. Enthusiastic crowds gathered along Manhattan’s streets to witness the tree’s grand arrival. This year, the tree is a majestic Norway Spruce that stands 75 feet tall and spans 45 feet in diameter, weighing a remarkable 11 tons.

It has been sourced from East Greenbush, New York, and cut on Thursday, November 6, to be brought to Center Plaza two days later, Saturday. According to the Rockefeller Center website, the tree will be adorned with over 50,000 multicolored, energy-efficient LED lights and topped with a Swarovski star. The official lighting ceremony will take place during the live broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. 

The tree will remain on display through mid-January 2026, following which it will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity. Visitors can find the tree at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112. 

The traditional significance of the Rockefeller Christmas tree

9 days to go.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrives November 8—celebrate at Meet the Tree Day 2025.https://t.co/AC95BnakAH pic.twitter.com/2JVIpLa0QR

— Rockefeller Center (@rockcenternyc) October 31, 2025

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is one of the most cherished holiday symbols in the United States, with a tradition that dates back nearly a century. It all began in 1931, when construction workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small Christmas tree, sparking a beloved custom. By 1933, the first official Tree Lighting Ceremony took place, featuring 700 lights and marking the start of an enduring celebration. 

Today, the tree remains a national icon of the holiday season. Typically, the coniferous tree is donated, with Rockefeller Center’s head gardener selecting the perfect tree and asking the owners for permission to use it. 

According to Fast Company, transporting the massive tree can cost around $70,000, which is covered by Rockefeller Center itself. After spreading festive cheer throughout the holidays, the tree is recycled and donated to Habitat for Humanity, where its wood is repurposed to help build homes for families in need.

Who donated the 2025 Rockefeller Christmas tree?

The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was generously donated by the Russ family from East Greenbush in upstate New York. The family had long admired the 75-year-old Norway spruce that stood proudly outside their home, believing it could one day become a centerpiece of the holiday season. 

Their hope became reality when Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, visited to inspect the tree and selected it for the iconic display. For Judy Russ, a New York City native, having her family’s tree chosen for such a beloved tradition was an absolute honor.

“I think I just hallucinated, like, ‘We need to go back because there’s no way this is real, right?’” she said in an interview with NBC News.

Judy lost her husband, 32-year-old Dan, in 2020. Remembering him, she added, “I know he would have loved to have been here for this moment. We always talked about it being the (Rockefeller Center) tree. It’s so special that my family’s tree gets to be America’s, if not the world’s, Christmas tree.”

Judy Russ and her son, Liam, plan to attend the official Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony on December 3. The event will draw large crowds across Manhattan, while viewers at home can enjoy the festive celebration through the live broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center on NBC and Peacock.

“Well, I cry at home in my living room when the tree is lit, so I’m probably going to be inconsolable that day, but it’s going to be great,” Judy commented.

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