Written by Swikblog Holidays Desk
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2025 is finally here – the night when New York City flips the holiday switch and millions of people around the United States gather around TVs, phones and crowded plazas to watch one tree light up the sky. If you’re searching “what time is the Rockefeller tree lighting tonight?” or “how to watch Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2025”, this guide has every key detail in one place.
When is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2025?
- Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025
- Location: Rockefeller Plaza, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown Manhattan, New York City
- Ceremony time on site: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET (tree is usually lit just before 10 p.m.)
The lighting ceremony turns the plaza outside 30 Rock into a live concert venue, with crowds filling the surrounding streets hours before the switch is flipped. Once the 50,000-plus LED lights blaze on, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree becomes the most photographed landmark in New York City for the rest of the season.
How to Watch “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” on NBC and Peacock
The official TV special, “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”, is the way most viewers across the U.S. experience the tree lighting. Here’s how to watch:
- TV channel: NBC (nationally in the U.S.)
- Special time: 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on Wednesday, December 3
- Streaming: Live on Peacock with on-demand replay, plus access via the NBC app and website with a TV provider login
- Live TV streaming services: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV and Fubo typically carry the NBC broadcast in most markets
- Spanish-language broadcast: A separate telecast airs on Telemundo later in the evening for Spanish-speaking audiences
If you’re juggling other holiday plans, the safest option is to log into Peacock or your live TV streaming service a few minutes early, search for “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” and set a reminder so you don’t miss the countdown moment when the tree finally lights up.
Who Is Hosting and Performing in 2025?
2025’s edition of Christmas in Rockefeller Center has serious star power. Country legend Reba McEntire steps in as host for the first time, and will also perform during the two-hour special. She’ll be joined by familiar faces from NBC’s TODAY family on the plaza and in the broadcast.
The performance lineup for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2025 includes:
- Marc Anthony
- Halle Bailey
- Michael Bublé
- Kristin Chenoweth
- Laufey
- New Edition
- Brad Paisley
- Carly Pearce
- Gwen Stefani
- The Radio City Rockettes, celebrating their 100th anniversary
With that mix of pop, country, Latin and Broadway talent, plus the Rockettes in their centennial year, the show is designed to double as a live holiday playlist as well as a major NYC holiday event.
Meet the 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a classic Norway spruce standing around 75 feet tall, about 45 feet wide and weighing roughly 11 tons. It was donated by the Russ family from East Greenbush, New York, a small community near Albany, and is believed to be about 75 years old.
The tree will be wrapped in more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights, connected by nearly five miles of wire, and crowned with a dazzling crystal star weighing close to 900 pounds. After the holidays, the trunk and branches are milled into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity, continuing a tradition of turning the world’s most famous tree into future homes.
You can read more about the official tree details and holiday experiences on the Rockefeller Center holidays page, which also lists Top of the Rock viewing, rink tickets and VIP experiences.
Can You Visit the Rockefeller Tree in Person?
Yes. Once the lights are switched on, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree remains on display through mid-January 2026. The lights typically shine from the early evening until late at night, with extended hours on weekends and around Christmas Day.
Expect heavy foot traffic, bag checks and some street closures around 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue on lighting night. If you’re visiting later in December, early mornings and late evenings are the best times to avoid the densest crowds and still capture those Instagram-ready shots of the tree, the rink and the surrounding skyscrapers.
Why the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Still Captures America’s Imagination
The first Rockefeller Center tree went up in 1931 during the Great Depression, when construction workers decorated a small tree with homemade garlands on the plaza. Since then, the ceremony has grown into one of the most watched holiday TV events in the United States, drawing viewers who see it as the unofficial start of Christmas.
In 2025, that emotional pull is sharpened by the story behind the tree itself – a family in upstate New York donating the spruce in memory of a loved one, and sharing their backyard giant with the world. It’s the kind of story that turns a glittering tourist attraction into something more human and more hopeful.
At Swikblog we’ve seen how big shared moments, from Premier League drama to global holiday traditions, can dominate timelines and search trends. (If you love that side of sport and spectacle, don’t miss our deep-dive on the North London Derby’s latest twist.) The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2025 belongs in that same category – a night when TV, social media and real-world crowds all watch the same lights flick on in Midtown Manhattan.
