It’s official: New York City’s iconic holiday season has kicked off with the selection of this year’s magnificent Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

Rockefeller Center announced on Monday that its 2026 Christmas tree was donated by Rebecca Decker and hails from West Edmeston, a town in central New York about 200 miles north of Manhattan, bringing a towering Norway spruce from upstate to the world-famous stage in time for the holiday season.

The majestic, 75-year-old tree stands 76 feet tall, measures 50 feet in diameter and weighs about 11 tons.

The tree will be cut down on Thursday, Nov. 5 and transported to Rock Center in Midtown in a slow journey that will wrap up on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Once it is in place, the spruce will be wrapped with more than 50,000 multi-colored, energy-efficient LED lights (around 5 miles of lights!), making it sparkle and shine throughout the holiday season. Workers will also place its crowning jewel: a Swarovski star at the top.

The big moment will come when the tree is lit during the live broadcast “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. The annual ceremony marks the start of the city’s holiday festivities as New Yorkers and visitors watch the tree illuminate in dazzling color.

The 2026 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will remain on display through Jan. 9, 2027. It can be seen from the Plaza or The Rink at Rock Center. Tree visiting hours and more details will be announced.

Each tree chosen to be the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is usually reaching its maximum height and often becoming too large for the property it is on. After it is cut, the tree is replaced with new trees or other greenery on the donor's property.

After the holiday season this year, the tree takes on a second life through Habitat for Humanity. Its wood will be milled into lumber for use by the nonprofit, which helps build and improve homes for families.

Barbara Russo-Lennon is a digital editor at amNewYork.

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