Locals Gather to See the First Rockefeller Christmas Tree From Massachusetts Since 1959

It may only be the first week of November but countless have collectively entered Christmas mode. As such, the tradition of the Rockefeller Tree taking its place in New York City is front and center. 

What makes this year’s Norway spruce so special is its background. For the first time since 1959, the tree that adorns Rockefeller Plaza will come from Massachusetts. Locals in West Stockbridge, which is located about 50 minutes from Springfield, flocked to the small town to see the tree before it’s chopped down and its corpse delivered to the Big Apple.

Yes, that’s a Friends reference, because who can forget when Phoebe learned where Christmas trees come from and then became appalled that we decorate the once-living plants (“Their corpses grotesquely dressed in like tinsel and twinkly lights”).

This year’s star of Rockefeller was planted 67 years ago by the Albert family, who donated the tree to be lit up with 50,000 lights and topped with a Swarovski star ahead of its live TV debut on Dec. 4.

If you’re wondering what the process is like to pick the perfect tree for this big a stage, this tree was identified back in 2020 as the right candidate. 

Naturally, I fell down a rabbit hole to learn more about where Rockefeller trees typically come from. The 2023 version came from Vestal, New York, marking the second straight year a tree was selected from the home state. New York, to no surprise, is the most frequent selection in recent memory with six trees coming from the state since 2016. Maryland and Pennsylvania also were represented in that time. 

That 1959 representation by Massachusetts saw a tree that once called Podunk home. When the new tree is installed on Nov. 9, it will mark just the second time the state has supplied a giant tree. The first-ever Rockefeller tree was put up in 1931 and was a Balsam fir. Norway spruce has since become the tree of preference due to its durability and longevity. 

Most Rockefeller trees come from the northeast and New England corridor. Ohio had its one and only tree chosen in 1998. 

Now you all have some really fun, interesting facts to drop some knowledge bombs on your friends and family when you tune into the tree lighting special on NBC.