The first time a tree was put up in Rockefeller Centre was in 1931. The depression-era workmen building the centre were so happy to have jobs that they decorated a tree with strings of cranberries, paper garlands and a few tin cans. Thereafter the first official Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree went up in 1933.
A 250 kg Swarovski star is made of 25,000 crystals, estimated to be worth $1,5 million. 720 LED bulbs and 3,000 feet of wire is used.
Rockefeller Centre conducts aerial searches by helicopter every year to find the perfect seven-story tree. It needs to be dense enough to host all the decorations and short enough to fit under the bridges as it is shipped to the city. It is always sneaked in at night when the streets are quiet.
The tree keeps on giving after Christmas – in 1971 its branches were ground into 30 large bags of mulch, which were spread over upper Manhattan nature trails. In 2005, Habitat for Humanity used the heartwood to make door frames for houses for the needy and last year, 15% of the tree went into making paper for a book called The Carpenter’s Gift – a book about people helping once another – and the proceeds go to charity.
I hope you all enjoy your Christmas trees and have a peaceful festive season.
Doreen Pfeiffer
The Cow Artworks
