This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on Saturday morning and was lifted into place for the holiday season ahead of next month’s tree lighting.

The tree is an 11-ton spruce. It is 74 feet tall and 43 feet wide, according to Rockefeller Center.

The tree, from Massachusetts, arrived on 49th Street around 7 a.m. and was lifted into place by a crane beginning at 9 a.m.

Hours of family friendly activities are planned to celebrate the highly anticipated arrival of the tree.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived in midtown Manhattan on Saturday and was lifted into place in Rockefeller Center by crane in front of an excited crowd ahead of the December 4 tree lighting on NBC.

The journey to New York City has begun Catch the arrival of the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on the Plaza on Saturday, November 9. pic.twitter.com/ACuPu7Qv2F

– Rockefeller Center (@rockcenternyc) November 7, 2024

When is the Rockefeller tree coming?

The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be cut down from West Stockbridge on Nov. 7 before traveling about 140 miles to Manhattan. It will hit the market on Saturday, November 9th and will be picked up.

The arrival of the tree is expected to be a spectacle, as always, and holiday lovers will enjoy family fun activities on the South Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to organizers.

The Rock and Roll Playhouse will feature children’s holiday classics and there will also be storytime with independent bookstore McNally Jackson. The little ones will also have the opportunity to write letters to Santa Claus, decorate their own ornaments and even paint their faces.

The festivities are free to the public, but those who RSVP in advance will receive a free treat at check-in. Click here for more details.

How will the tree be decorated?

After arriving at Center Plaza, more than 50,000 multi-colored LEDs will be strung along approximately 5 miles of wire to adorn the 2024 tree. It will then be crowned with a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star topped with 3 million crystals.

It originates from Massachusetts for the first time since 1959.

When does the tree light up?

The tree lighting show will begin on Wednesday, December 4th at 7:00 PM ET. You’ll be able to watch NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” live on TV, on the Peacock and wherever you stream NBC 4 New York.

Here is a brief history of tree lighting

• 1931 – Construction workers building Rockefeller Center put up a Christmas tree, the first Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.
• 1933 – The first official Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony. The tree was decorated with 700 lights in front of the eight-month-old RCA building.
• 1936 – Two trees were erected, each 70 feet (21.3 m) tall. For the first time, the Lighting Ceremony included a skating competition on the newly opened Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice skating pond.
• 1942 – Three trees were placed in Rockefeller Plaza, one decorated in red, one in white and one in blue to show support for our troops serving during World War II.
• 1949 – The tree was painted silver to look like snow.
• 1951 – The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was lit for the first time on national television on the Kate Smith show.
• 1966 – The first tree outside the United States was raised. It was given by Canada in honor of the Centennial of its Confederation. This is the furthest distance a tree has traveled to Rockefeller Center.
• 1980 – For the 50th tree lighting, a 70-foot (21.3 m) Norway spruce came from the grounds of Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mahwah, NJ, Bob Hope participated in the lighting.
• 1999 – The tallest tree in Rockefeller Center history, at 100 feet tall, came from Killingworth, Connecticut.
• 2004 – The star designed by Swarovski became the largest star ever to adorn the tree.
• 2007 – For the first time, the tree was illuminated with energy-efficient LEDs. They consume a fraction of the power that was traditionally required by the tree, reducing energy consumption from 3,510 kwH to 1,297 kwH per day, saving as much energy as a family would use in a month in a 2,000 square meter house squares. Hundreds of solar panels atop one of the Rockefeller Center buildings help power the new LEDs.
• 2021 – For the first time, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is coming from Maryland.

What Happens to the Rockefeller Center Tree After the Holidays?

The tree will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is a long-term tenant of 30 Rockefeller Center.