The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially begun its journey to New York City from its home in the southern Berkshires.
The 74-foot-tall Norway Spruce, which weighs approximately 11 tons and spans 43 feet in diameter, was cut down early Thursday morning from the Albert family’s property in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. According to Rockefeller Center’s press materials, the tree will reach its holiday setting by Saturday, where it will remain on display through mid-January.
This year’s tree holds special significance as the first to come from Massachusetts since 1959, and has a unique backstory tied to the Albert family’s holiday traditions. Earl and Lesley Albert planted the tree in 1967, shortly after their wedding, when they inherited the family home.
The Alberts celebrated many seasons around the tree, decorating it with colorful lights each Christmas, patriotic decorations for the Fourth of July and spooky themes for Halloween. Over time, the tree grew too tall for them to reach its top.
In the summer of 2020, Rockefeller Center’s head gardener Erik Pauze visited the area and was struck by the tree’s grandeur. He knocked on the door to inquire about it just a week after Lesley had passed away, a moment the Albert family saw as a symbolic gesture, according to the family’s account. In Lesley’s memory, the family agreed to donate the tree for Rockefeller Center’s holiday display.
“We took it as a sign from my mother-in-law just because she loved everything surrounding Christmas,” said Shawn Albert, Lesley’s daughter-in-law. “The tree, all of it.”
The tree was loaded onto a 115-foot-long trailer to be lifted into place by crane this weekend and decorated with multicolored lights reminiscent of the Alberts’ original decorations. Members of the Albert family will be present in New York City to see the tree arrive and attend the annual tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 4.
“She was a giving person,” said Michael Albert, Lesley’s son, who took over the family home. “Give it to the community, let everyone enjoy it. That’s what we’re really excited about. To go to New York City and let the world see it.”
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