The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived in NYC

There's good news for those who enjoy the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree in New York City. The tree has been transported to the city, and this year's ceremony will go ahead, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lighting ceremony represents the start of the holiday season in the US, and it began as a beacon of hope during the Great Depression and was first broadcast on television in 1951. This year's tree is a 75-foot-tall Norway spruce, and it was donated to the plaza by Al Dick, owner of Daddy Al's General Store in Oneonta, New York. The 11-ton tree will be erected by crane into the center, above the skating rink.

The tree lighting ceremony usually takes place in early December and is broadcast on TV, with performances given by famous entertainers. The tree is adorned with over five miles of lights and is topped by an enormous 900-pound star made by Swarovski Crystal and featuring three million crystals. Details on the lighting ceremony have yet to be released, and it is not known yet if restrictions will be placed on the number of people allowed in the plaza. The event is free to attend but gets crowded.

On Christmas Day, the tree remains illuminated for 24 hours and if the proceedings follow those of previous years, it will remain in place until early 2021, after which it will be donated to charity for lumber. It is always a spectacular sight and one that should hopefully bring comfort in a year that has been trying and sad for so many people.