Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrives in New York City

It will take five miles of light strands with more than 50,000 multicolored LED bulbs to wrap the 43-foot wide tree. A Swarovski star crown sparkling with 3 million crystals will sit on top.

As a sign of the start of the holiday season, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived in New York City Saturday on a flatbed truck and was hoisted into position.

It will take 5 miles of light strands with more than 50,000 multicolored LED bulbs to wrap the 43-foot-wide tree. A Swarovski star crown sparkling with 3 million crystals will top it.

A lively gathering turned out in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, last Thursday to bid farewell to a towering 74-foot Norway spruce as it was cut down and prepared for its journey to New York City. Spectators watched as workers carefully sawed through the massive, 11-ton tree, lifted it by a crane, and placed it onto a flatbed truck.

The Norway spruce, donated by the Albert family from West Stockbridge, is notably the first tree from Massachusetts to be chosen for the Rockefeller Center's renowned holiday display since 1959. The tree was planted 67 years ago, but owner Michael Albert told WCBS there was nothing sad about seeing it go.

"It's a gift to the world," he said. "It's not something that we're taking away, it's something we're giving."

The head gardener of Rockefeller Center discovered the "beautiful" tree in 2020 while passing through the quaint western Massachusetts town of about 1,400 residents.

"It's amazing. Our little town is famous now," said Wendy Lampro, who was helping with traffic control as the tree rolled out.

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