If it is how you see it and what you should know

The holiday season seems to get right every year with the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Kelly Clarkson, the musician and host of an NBC talk show of the same name taped at Rockefeller Center, will return to host the lighting ceremony and television special “Christmas in Rockefeller Center.”

Clarkson first appeared at the ceremony more than 20 years ago and marked the milestone by hosting it last year. “I was suddenly in a Charlie Brown movie and it was magical,” she said on her show this month, referring to her hosting duties last year.

Clarkson moved to New York City last year after hosting her show at Universal Studios in Universal City, California. She said she is looking forward to hosting the tree lighting again.

“I love the holidays here in New York,” Clarkson said on her show. “Living here at Christmas is like being in a movie. There is nothing like it in the world, especially the tree lighting ceremony.”

Workers put up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on November 9, 2024 in New York City. — Workers put up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City on November 9.Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

When and where is the ceremony?

The ceremony will take place at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET; It will be broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock as part of the two-hour special “Christmas in Rockefeller Center.”

A line-up of music stars is planned and the event ends with the lighting of the tree.

NBC-owned stations, along with some partners, will broadcast an additional hour live from Rockefeller Center before the event, NBC said in a statement. Access Hollywood’s Mario Lopez and NBC New York anchors Natalie Pasquarella and David Ushery will host the show, sources said.

Spanish-speaking viewers will be able to watch a telemundo simulcast for the first time called “Navidades en Rockefeller Center,” beginning live at 9 p.m. ET, NBC said.

Can I attend the tree lighting?

The area around Rockefeller Center is public, but visitors can purchase tickets to have their photo taken with the tree in the background. VIP tickets are also available, allowing you to view the tree up close from an area not normally open to the public.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to be 7 to 10 degrees below normal, with the possibility of showers and snow over the next week.

What is there to see?

More than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights will decorate the tree, NBC said in a statement. A Swarovski star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and first used in 2018 will be at the top of the tree, according to the network.

Which celebrities will be at the event?

The ceremony and show will be music-driven, with performances by Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson, country duo Dan + Shay, Broadway star Megan Hilty, Thalia, known as the queen of Latin pop, and more, NBC said in an opinion.

The star-studded Radio City Rockettes, star of the annual “Christmas Spectacular” at the adjacent Radio City Music Hall, will also perform, the station said.

NBC News’ “TODAY” show hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin will also appear, sources said.

Where does this year’s tree come from?

This year’s tree is the first to come from Massachusetts since 1959. It’s a 74-foot-tall, 43-foot-wide spruce tree from West Stockbridge that arrived at Rockefeller Center on Nov. 9, according to the Rockefeller Center website.

This year’s tree weighs about 11 tons, it said.

After mid-January, the tree will be donated to the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity so its wood can be used to build homes for those in need, NBC said in its statement.

The tree was planted in 1967 by newlywed Earl Albert and his late wife Leslie, and he recently honored their memory by donating it as the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Albert said in an interview in early November.

His family has since said in a statement that Albert suffered a stroke but was still “looking forward to the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center and is working hard to be able to attend in person.”

What is the history of tree lighting?

The ceremony continues a long tradition.

The first tree was installed at Rockefeller Center in 1931 by workers who pooled their money for the display, according to the tree’s history page. Two years later, the lighting ceremony was born. In 1951 it was televised.

When can I see the tree after the ceremony?

After Wednesday evening’s event, the tree will be lit from 5 a.m. to midnight until mid-January. On Christmas Eve it will be lit for 24 hours, but on New Year’s Eve it will start at 9 p.m., when revelers will fill nearby Times Square, Rockefeller Center said on its website.

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