This is the big tree in front of Rockefeller Center, about 8AM...

December 23, 1998

Usually you see this tree at night, all lit up. This is how it looks early in the morning, all lit bright, but with almost no tourists around it. It looks wonderful in the daytime. This year it is particularly pretty. It's from the Midwest US. A couple planted it 50-something years ago when they were first married. Lately they were worried that the tree was going to fall over in a bad storm and destry their house. It was getting old and not too sturdy. A helicoptor team looking for a good Rockefeller Ctr. tree candidate spotted it as they flew over and the family was contacted. It was airlifted in a huger Russian cargo plane to the East Coast, then trucked into Manhattan in the middle of the night. There was scaffolding up around the tree for almost two weeks, then it was ready. Next year I'll do a real "story" on how the tree goes up.

Here are the tourists! From about 5AM on, a crowd gathers across from Rockefeller Ctr to watch the "Today Show" on NBC where it is broadcast live. The people standing outside often get in on the action.

Here is another view looking north on 48th St. to the Today Show and Rockefeller Center.

By 7AM, there is already skating going on in the rink below.

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