Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree year. The tree, usually a Norway spruce tall, has been a national tradition each year since 1933. The 2018 Christmas Tree Lighting took place on November 28, 2018; the tree will remain on display until January 7, 2019. Trees are traditionally donated to Rockefeller Center, which in turn donates the lumber after display. Until his death in 2009, the late David Murbach, Manager of the Gardens Division of Rockefeller Center, scouted for the desired tree in upstate New York and surrounding states, and even Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. Erik Pauzé, Head Gardener at Rockefeller Center, looks for each year's Rockefeller
Christmas tree in New England generally "Christmas is not much celebrated", whereas in Pennsylvania and New York it is. When Edward H. Johnson was vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, a predecessor of Con Edison, he created the first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree at his home in New York City in 1882. Johnson became the "Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights". The lyrics sung in the United States to the German tune begin "O Christmas tree...", giving rise to the mistaken idea that the German word (fir tree) means "Christmas tree", the German word for which is instead .