A Living Legacy: Family's Beloved Spruce Becomes an Icon
The majestic 80-foot Norway spruce that will serve as this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has completed its journey to New York City, carrying with it a profound story of love, loss, and legacy. Donated by Judy Russ and her seven-year-old son, Liam, the tree honours the memory of Dan Russ, Judy's husband and Liam's father, who passed away tragically in 2020 at the age of 32.
A Tree Steeped in Family History
The tree itself is a living archive of the Russ family's history. Dan Russ's great-grandparents originally planted it on their farm approximately 75 years ago. For young Liam, it later became a favourite jungle gym, a place of play and joy rooted in his family's past. The idea to offer the towering spruce to Rockefeller Center came to Judy during a visit last year, inspired by the thought of sharing their special tree with the world.
"My husband would have loved to have been here for this moment," Judy Russ shared emotionally with NBC on TODAY. "We always talked about it being the Rockefeller Center tree. It's so special that my family's tree gets to be America's, if not the world's, Christmas tree." A family friend helped bridge the connection to the organisers, and head gardener Erik Pauze confirmed the selection, setting the tribute in motion.
The Journey to Illumination and Beyond
On Saturday, crews carefully transported the massive 12-ton tree from the Russ family home in East Greenbush, Rensselaer County, to its new temporary home in Midtown Manhattan. Once in place, the spruce will be transformed, adorned with more than 50,000 lights and crowned with a brilliant Swarovski star.
The official lighting ceremony is scheduled for December 3, a date Judy anticipates will be deeply emotional. "Well, I cry at home in my living room when the tree is lit, so I'm probably going to be inconsolable that day, but it's going to be great," she said. She plans to dedicate every light to Dan's memory, spreading a message of "hope, love, spread joy, spread cheer, love one another."
This act of donation as a memorial is becoming a touching tradition. Last year's tree, a 74-foot Norway spruce from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was donated by Earl Albert in tribute to his late wife, Leslie, whom he had planted the tree with as newlyweds in 1967.
The tradition of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree itself began humbly in 1931 during the Great Depression, when immigrant workers pooled their resources for a simple 20-foot balsam fir. Today, the selection is a year-round mission for the head gardener. After the holidays, the tree's legacy of giving continues, as its lumber is milled and donated to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes.
