This makes me feel Connected Delighted Empowered Heard at an Cultural / Public scale
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
Every year for Christmas a large 70-100 foot tall spruce Christmas tree is placed in Rockefeller Center, New York City. It is a tradition that has happened every year since 1933 and the lighting of the tree is a ceremony that occurs late November/early December.
In the middle of New York City surrounded by tall buildings this tradition of installing an enormous tree is something all New Yorkers know about and have seen at one point or another. In fact, in 1931 construction workers erected the first Tree at the Rockefeller Plaza construction site, and it was there that they would collect their paychecks during the height of the Great Depression. Witnessing the tree in person is one of those experiences that cannot be replaced with a photo or video as it just towers over the area. The tree is usually erected in mid November and requires substantial scaffolding to cover it in lights. The ceremony of lighting the tree is experienced by simply standing shoulder to shoulder with an incredible amount of people and witnessing the large tree suddenly explode with light and color. The huge tree remains lit and on display until early January before it gets removed. Lighting the tree is an event that brings New Yorkers and people around the world together not necessarily through religion, but simply through the beauty that many of us have seen before but simply not at that scale.
Contributer notes
What is surprising, refreshing, most interesting?
It is refreshing to see that Rockefeller Center still takes the time to make this event happen every year. Of course there are other motives such as attracting tourists and other people to the area but it is still a nice way of going about doing that. I am interested to see how the event will take place this year and what, if any, adaptations will be made to prevent the extreme crowding that usually takes place. It seems this pandemic manages to affect almost every aspect of life and events like these are definitely not an exception.
Key Insights? What can we learn from this?
There is something about witnessing an incredible event with many people that creates a sense of togetherness and unity. Similar to fireworks or the new years’ ball drop a big part of the experience is being with people. This is something that to some extent we sometimes take for granted and is especially felt now during the pandemic. Not quite being able to feel a part of an experience like the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree takes a lot away from a sense of community.