Editor’s note: This month, the Cool Word Club will focus on the holidays with some oh-so-festive words!
In New York City, the holidays are ushered in with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree at the iconic Rockefeller Center.
The first tree-lighting ceremony took place there in 1933. It was televised for the first time in 1955 on “The Howdy Doody Show.” Now, millions of people around the world watch this celebration each year on television. Meanwhile, huge crowds gather in the area around the tree to witness the lighting ceremony firsthand.
The 2012 tree, which came from New Jersey, is an 80-foot Norway spruce that is estimated to weigh 10 tons. In fact, the tree is so large that a crane had to be used to hoist it into place.
Not surprisingly, it was no easy feat to cover such an enormous tree with lights. When the decorating was complete, a total of 30,000 lights graced the tree’s branches to create a luminous (see definition below) spectacle against the dark evening skies of Manhattan.
It is indeed a sight to behold!
Speak your mind: What annual traditions do you consider to be the most important to the holiday season—and why?
LUMINOUS: Radiating light, bright or shining.
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