Technically the Rockefeller tree is part of the Christmas decorations, but as it is one of the most famous Christmas traditions in New York, we gave it its own category. The Rockefeller Tree is huge and very beautifully decorated with a tree topper that is actually made from 25.000 real Swarovski crystals and worth $1.5 million. The whole area around the tree is decorated too.
Fun fact: The first tree lighting ceremony was held in 1933 and the trees that are used as Christmas trees are usually 90 years old, which makes them older than the ceremony itself.
But unfortunately, due to its fame, it’s also no wonder that throughout the day this area is packed with people to a point where you almost can’t even walk properly, let alone get a decent photo.
So, here is where our jetlag came in handy. We naturally woke up every day around 6-7 a.m., so one day we made our way to the Rockefeller tree and well the whole area was empty. We shared this famous photo spot with only a handful of other people and everyone was kind enough to help the others take their photo.