Christmas season is upon us! Well, it's almost upon us. Rockefeller Center announced which farm its Christmas tree is coming from. The tree that will dazzle millions of visitors is being donated by the Russ family. The 11-ton, 75-foot Norway spruce tree was planted more than 60 years ago at the historic Rensselaer County farm. The tree is set to be cut on November 6 and arrive at Rockefeller Center on November 8. A month later, it will be lit during the live "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" special broadcast on NBC.
Every year, Rockefeller Center decorates the tree with 50,000 multi-colored lights and a Swarovski star that weighs approximately 900 pounds. The star is set to have 70 spikes covered by three million crystals. The tree will remain on display until the middle of January 2026, and then will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
So, as the famous tree makes its way to New York City, here's everything we know about the family who donated it.
After choosing a tree from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts last year, Rockefeller Center went back to their roots. The Russ family lives in East Greenbush, a suburb of Albany, about 130 miles north of Manhattan.
The tree has been part of their family for over 60 years
The 75-ft tree is older than Sarah Jessica Parker! Judy Russ opened up to The Center Magazine about Rockefeller Center's decision: "I'm excited to make more cherished memories with my family and childhood friends as it becomes the world’s Christmas tree."
Judy, who lives in the historic family home, has a seven-year-old son named Liam. The mom-and-son will be invited to the official tree lighting ceremony in New York City.
Erik Pauze has worked as the head gardener for Rockefeller Center for over three decades. Every year, it's his job to find potential trees. "What I look for is a tree you'd want in your living room, but on a grander scale," Erik told The Center Magazine. "It needs to make people smile the second they see it."
A photo of the tree made its way to Erik through a security supervisor at Rockefeller Center. "As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect," he recalled. To make sure the tree stayed in tip-top shape, the gardener returned to the farm several times to water and care for the tree himself.
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