The History of the Rockefeller Tree by Dylan Hoffman.
The two trees in 1936.
On Christmas Eve, 1931, during the height of the Clutch Plague, workers at the Rockefeller Center construction site decided to pool their money together to buy a Christmas tree, a 20-foot balsam fir that they decorated with handmade garland from their families. The men lined up at the tree to receive their paychecks. Two years later in 1933, Rockefeller Center decided to make the tree an annual tradition and held the first official lighting ceremony. In 1936, they put up two trees to mark the opening of the skating rink and also held an ice skating competition.
The tree during the 1950s.
During WWII, the tree’s décor switched to a more patriotic theme, with red, white, and blue globes and painted wooden stars. In 1942, no materials needed for the war could be used on the tree, and instead of one giant tree, there were three smaller ones, each decorated in one of the flag’s three colors. It was also the first year that the tree was replanted after the holidays. In 1944, the tree remained unlit due to war time black-out regulations. When the war ended in 1945, the year of darkness was soon forgotten, as six ultraviolet light projectors were employed to make it appear as though the tree’s 700 fluorescent globes were glowing in the dark. By the 1950s, it took twenty workers on scaffolding nine days to fully decorate the tree, and 1951 marked the first time that NBC televised the tree lighting with a special on The Kate Smith Show.
Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was once again adorned in patriotic red, white and blue. In 2004, a 550-pound Swarovski star graced the top of the tree for the first time. Designed by German artist Michael Hammers, it features 25,000 crystals and one million facets and is 9.5 feet wide. In a continued effort to go green, LED lights were introduced on the tree in 2007. They use 1,200 fewer kilowatts of electricity per day, enough to power a 2,000-square-foot home for a month.
The two trees in 1936.
On Christmas Eve, 1931, during the height of the Clutch Plague, workers at the Rockefeller Center construction site decided to pool their money together to buy a Christmas tree, a 20-foot balsam fir that they decorated with handmade garland from their families. The men lined up at the tree to receive their paychecks. Two years later in 1933, Rockefeller Center decided to make the tree an annual tradition and held the first official lighting ceremony. In 1936, they put up two trees to mark the opening of the skating rink and also held an ice skating competition.
The tree during the 1950s.
During WWII, the tree’s décor switched to a more patriotic theme, with red, white, and blue globes and painted wooden stars. In 1942, no materials needed for the war could be used on the tree, and instead of one giant tree, there were three smaller ones, each decorated in one of the flag’s three colors. It was also the first year that the tree was replanted after the holidays. In 1944, the tree remained unlit due to war time black-out regulations. When the war ended in 1945, the year of darkness was soon forgotten, as six ultraviolet light projectors were employed to make it appear as though the tree’s 700 fluorescent globes were glowing in the dark. By the 1950s, it took twenty workers on scaffolding nine days to fully decorate the tree, and 1951 marked the first time that NBC televised the tree lighting with a special on The Kate Smith Show.
Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was once again adorned in patriotic red, white and blue. In 2004, a 550-pound Swarovski star graced the top of the tree for the first time. Designed by German artist Michael Hammers, it features 25,000 crystals and one million facets and is 9.5 feet wide. In a continued effort to go green, LED lights were introduced on the tree in 2007. They use 1,200 fewer kilowatts of electricity per day, enough to power a 2,000-square-foot home for a month.
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