Rockefeller Center Selects 2019 Christmas Tree

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Rockefeller Center on Monday revealed its annual Christmas tree is a Norway Spruce that hails from Florida, New York — a small village in Orange County with a population of less than 3,000 people. The tree will be cut down Nov. 7 and installed in Rockefeller Center two days later.

Once the tree is raised in Manhattan, it will be decked out with more than 50,000 multi-color LED lights and crowned with a Swarovski crystal star. The annual tree-lighting ceremony will be broadcast on Dec. 4. On Jan. 17, the tree will finally be taken down to signal the coming end of winter in New York.

This year's tree-lighting event will be free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who'd rather take in the spectacle from their comfort of their living rooms can watch the annual NBC broadcast, which traditionally features New York City's mayor, a performance by the Rockettes and a number of musical guests.

Rockefeller Center announced its tree selection Monday, but these picks are often years in the making. Last year's tree, also a Norway Spruce from Orange County, had been spotted by the center's head gardener five years before it was deemed ready for display.

Rockefeller Center is expected to announce more details regarding the cutting of the tree and its transport to New York City in the coming weeks.