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Published on November 07, 2024
Massachusetts’ Majestic Norway Spruce Embarks on Journey to Shine as Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New YorkSource: Unsplash/ Kaydn Ito

The trek of a lifetime—or at least the holiday season—is underway for a grand Norway spruce, earmarked to become the celebrated Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Departing from the pastoral town of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the 74-foot specimen is bound for the Big Apple, prepped to dazzle with thousands of twinkling lights and a crystal-studded star posed high above the throngs of New York onlookers. FOX 5 New York reports the tree will cover a distance of 140 miles to reach its destined podium at Rockefeller Center this Saturday.

Having grown serenely on Earl Albert's downtown property, the tree—which is no stranger to the spotlight—was selected by Rockefeller Center's head gardener Erik Pauze on a scouting trip back in 2020. In a statement obtained by The Berkshire Eagle, onlookers, including a duo dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus, gathered as early as 6:30 a.m. to witness the spruce's departure from its native soil.

The transit of the tree is garnering its fair share of pageantry, with plans for it to be escorted by the New York State Police. Once in Manhattan, a crane will manage the task of placing this festive giant within the heart of Rockefeller Center. This year's tree, according to FOX 5 New York, stands out as the first from Massachusetts to grace Rockefeller Plaza since 1959, taking its place in a long legacy of seasonal splendor.

Adorned with over 50,000 multi-colored LEDs stretched along about 5 miles of wire, and crowned with a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star boasting 3 million crystals, this tree is slated to shine on December 4th, in a ceremony televised by NBC and streamed on Peacock. The tree was, as families watched the event unravel behind safety barriers, officially cut during a live broadcast by The Today Show, according to The Berkshire Eagle.