The History of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
And the STIHL® Power Behind an American Tradition
Every year, as November slips into December, millions of people turn their eyes toward one of the most beloved holiday traditions in the world: the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It’s a symbol of hope, celebration, and the official start of the season in New York City. But before the hand-picked tree dazzles under 50,000 lights, before the crowds gather with cocoa in hand, and long before it becomes the backdrop of postcards and proposals—it has a story. And surprisingly, part of that story runs right through Power Place.
The very first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree went up in 1931, long before the ice rink or the towering ‘30 Rock’ existed in their modern form. During the height of the Great Depression, construction workers building Rockefeller Center pooled their money to buy a small, 20-foot balsam fir. They decorated it with handmade garlands—stringed cranberries, paper, and even tin cans. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t sponsored. But it was a moment of joy in a brutal year.
By 1933, the tradition became official, and New York City took notice. Each year, the tree grew taller, more majestic, and more symbolic.
As Rockefeller Center became a cultural landmark, the tree became the star of the season. By the 1950s, families traveled to Manhattan just to see it. By the 1980s, its lighting ceremony was a televised event—an annual kickoff to the holiday shopping rush.
The trees themselves also grew. The typical Rockefeller tree today is a Norway spruce, usually between 70 and 100 feet tall, often weighing 12–15 tons. These giants come from states across the Northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut.
Selecting the tree is almost an art form. The head gardener at Rockefeller Center, along with a small team, scouts for years—looking for perfect shape, strength, symmetry, and health.
Today’s Rockefeller tree is outfitted with 50,000 LED lights on over 5 miles of wire, a Swarovski star weighing around 900 pounds, and a crew of skilled arborists and riggers to safely lift, transport, secure, and decorate it. And of course, before any of that can happen, the tree must come down—carefully, professionally, and cleanly.
Here's the part most people don’t know: The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is cut down using STIHL® chainsaws.
And for years, the saws used in this iconic process have been serviced, tuned, and sharpened at Power Place before they ever make the cut. From chain sharpening to powerhead maintenance, our technicians make sure every STIHL® saw going to the Rockefeller crews is in peak condition—because when you’re taking down a 90-foot Norway spruce that’s headed for the most-watched plaza in the world, precision matters.
It’s one of those small but meaningful points of pride: a little bit of North Jersey craftsmanship playing a role in one of America’s biggest holiday traditions.
After the season ends, the tree doesn’t simply get discarded. Since 2007, it has been milled into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for families in need.
So, the Rockefeller tree continues spreading light long after the ornaments come down. From a makeshift Depression-era Fir to a global holiday icon, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has grown into something bigger than decorations and lights. It represents resilience, celebration, and the magic of the season.
