WEST STOCKBRIDGE – The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is headed to New York City after being shot Thursday in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
A festive crowd showed up to say this farewell to the tree and watch as workers sawed through the 75-foot-tall Norway spruce. The 11-ton boom was then lifted by crane and loaded onto a flatbed truck to New York, where it will arrive on Saturday.
Matthew Cavanaugh/AP
The tree is the first from Massachusetts to be selected for the Rockefeller Centers famous festive exhibition since 1959. It is donated by the Albert family of West Stockbridge.
The tree was planted 67 years ago, but Michael Albert said there was nothing sad about seeing it go.
“It’s a gift to the world,” he said. “It’s not something we take away, it’s something we give.”
“This town is famous now”
Rockefeller Center’s head gardener said he picked out the “beautiful” tree in 2020 while driving through the small community of about 1,400 residents in Western Massachusetts. Local residents enjoy the spotlight.
“It’s great. The town is famous now,” said Wendy Lampro, who directed traffic.
Carolers dressed as elves from the Monument Mountain Regional High School choir in Great Barrington sang Christmas carols like “Frosty the Snowman” to send off the tree in style.
CBS Boston
“It’s a beautiful monument, but during the holidays it takes on new life at Rockefeller Center,” said choir director Julie Bickford.
Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights
Once set up in New York, the tree will be decorated with 50,000 multi-colored lights and topped by a Swarovski crystal star.
The lighting will take place during the “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” TV broadcast on December 4, and the tree will remain up until mid-January.
