Rockefeller Center Tree Installed; Workers Prep For Nov. 30 Lighting Ceremony
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – As the Christmas season approaches, New York City begins its transition into a winter wonderland and few decorations compete with the Rockefeller Center tree.
LISTEN: WCBS 880's Sean Adams reports on the tree's installation
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Workers installed the 74-foot Norway Spruce on Friday, and head gardener Eric Pauze said this year's tree is a real beauty.
"This tree was perfect, I was driving out in Pennsylvania going out on Route 80 and I saw it," Pauze said. "I got off at the next exit and I went over and checked it out."
A perfect 74-foot-tall Norway Spruce is hard to come by--it's the end of the trees life. Lightening or wind usually do them in.
It is a monumental undertaking to decorate this tree. An army of electricians will run five miles of wire up and down every limb. There are 30,000 solar powered LED bulbs, and each one is individually checked.
"Well we have a guy that stands on the side over there if you ever watch us put it in and he puts it in a milk crate and sends it up to the guy who's in the tree," Pauze said.
During the first week, the tree will take 90 gallons of water per day. After the holidays the wood will be used in Habitat for Humanity homes and the pulp will become paper for a children's book.
A grand lighting ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 30 and the tree will be available for viewing each day from 5:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. and all 24 hours on Christmas Day.
