The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived!
On Nov. 8, adoring fans lined the sidewalks of New York City and took in the sights of the tree as it made its way through Manhattan. The Norway spruce stands at 75 feet tall and measures 45 feet in diameter and weighs 11 tons.
This year, the magnificent spruce was donated by the Russ family in upstate New York.
After seeing the 75-year-old tree stand outside their home in East Greenbush, they knew it had potential to one day be a spectacular Christmas tree.
Their dream came true this year when Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, came to see the tree in person.
Judy Russ was pleased. As someone who grew up in New York City, she knew just how special it was to have her tree be chosen as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
“I think I just hallucinated, like, ‘We need to go back because there’s no way this is real, right?’” she told NBC correspondent Joe Fryer in an interview.
Judy’s husband, Dan, died in 2020 at age 32.
“I know he would have loved to have been here for this moment,” she said. “We always talked about it being the (Rockefeller Center) tree. It’s so special that my family’s tree gets to be America’s, if not the world’s, Christmas tree.”
Judy said that she and her son, Liam, plan on attending the official tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 3. On that day, New Yorkers will flood the streets of Manhattan to watch the tree be lit. At home, viewers can catch it all during the live “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” broadcast on NBC and Peacock. (TODAY.com and Peacock share a parent company.)
“Well, I cry at home in my living room when the tree is lit, so I’m probably going to be inconsolable that day, but it’s going to be great,” Judy said.