Rockefeller Center Chooses 2021 Christmas Tree

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Every year, people wait to find out which beautiful tree will be chosen to be decorated and admired at Christmas time in New York City's Rockefeller Center.

In years past, the perfect tree was chosen from the tri-state area.

But not this year.

For 2021, the chosen tree will be making its way to NYC from — wait for it — Maryland. Elkton, Maryland, to be specific.

The tree from Maryland will arrive at Rockefeller Center Nov. 13, after which it will be decorated.

The lighting ceremony will be Wednesday, Dec. 1.

Rockefeller Center officials said the tree will be lit daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. On Christmas Day, it is lit for 24 hours and on New Year's Eve it is lit from 6 a.m.to 9 p.m.

In the past five years, only in 2017 was a tree outside of New York picked to grace midtown Manhattan. That year it was from State College, Pennsylvania.

In 2016 and 2020, trees from Oneonta, Ostego County, were chosen. In 2018 and 2019, the trees were chosen from the Hudson Valley in Wallkill and Florida, respectively.

The trip from Maryland to Rockefeller Center is about 141 miles, according to Google Maps. Granted, that is closer than Oneonta (170 miles) but not as far as State College, Pennsylvania (239 miles). For the record, Wallkill is 81 miles from midtown Manhattan and Florida is only 64 miles.

So what do you think about having a tree that is not from New York on display in Rockefeller Center? Tell us in the comments.