How Many Rockefeller Center Christmas Trees Have Been From The Hudson Valley?

Some consider the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree the true start to the holiday season.

The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lit up the night and the holiday season in New York City's Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, December 4th, 2024.

Every year, the Rockefeller Center tree team heads out across the nation to find the perfect tree to represent the holiday season. This year a Norway Spruce from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts is the star of the holiday season. 

This is the first time since 1959 that a Rockefeller Center Tree has been chosen from the state of Massachusetts.

READ MORE: The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree isn't From the Hudson Valley?!

With that being said, did you know that there have been several Rockefeller Center Christmas Trees from the Hudson Valley?

How Many Rockefeller Center Christmas Trees Have Been From The Hudson Valley?

I'm always shocked to find out that the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree isn't always from New York.

Yes, I  know...they search across the nation looking for the most perfect tree, but I just feel like since it's going to be on display in New York shouldn't it BE FROM New York?

I digress.

Research shows, however, that the tree has been from New York several times in the past and more specifically has been from the Hudson Valley 20 times! The Rockefeller Center page on Wikipedia states that in 1940 the tree was from Hyde Park in Dutchess County.

It looks like that may be the first tree from the Mid-Hudson region to be used at Rockefeller Center. According to an archived New York Times article they wrote the tree was "seventy-six years old and was obtained from a strip of forest near the Hyde Park estate of President Roosevelt."
At the time the Hyde Park Tree was decked out with 800 decretive balls and a string of lights. Now as we know, the tree is decorated with  thousands LED lights and topped with a Swarovski Crystal star.

Since then 19 other trees had been chosen to light up the holiday season at Rockefeller Plaza:

1948 - Mount Kisco
1950 - Mount Kisco
1963 - Hurley
1964 - Lake Carmel
1979 - Spring Valley
1983 - Valley Cottage
1986 - Nanuet
1987 - Suffern
1991 - Suffern
1992 - Stony Point
1993 - Nanuet
1996 - Armonk
1997- Stony Point
2000 - Buchanan
2004 - Suffern. This year was special because they added the infamous Swarovski crystal star.
2010 - Mahopac
2015 - Gardiner
2018 - Wallkill
2019 - Florida

Personally, I believe the 2025 tree should come from the Hudson Valley. Any recommendations?

Christmas Light Displays Across The Hudson Valley

If heading down to New York City to see the lights and displays seems like a daunting task, there are a handful of Christmas displays locally that will brighten your holiday season.

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Kevin McCurdy's Holiday Spirit Festival in Wappingers Falls, New York is a walk through interactive display and a visit from Santa at the end!

READ MORE: Drive-Thru Holiday Light Shows, Where Can You See Them?

Bethel Woods hosts Peace, Love and Lights which is a 2-mile drive through light display, with amazing light shows and holiday music.

The Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck is the destination for A Wonderland of Lights, another fun drive-thru light display.

The Headless Horseman Hayride and Haunted Houses transforms into a winter wonderland for the holiday season with A Frosty Fest, another fantastic walk through

Then, of course, you have the infamous Patrick Lane ERDAJT's Christmas Light Display. The free drive through (donations accepted) has drawn thousands of families every year to the LaGrange home of the Gay family.