De-Grinch at Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting

Welcome to New York during Yule season, suckers. It’s a time of great mirth-sucking and merriment-destroying. From the Black Friday stampedes to Christmas Eve traffic, rarely does a city unify so absolutely under the banner of pissy mood. Holiday magic is in short order, despite what Macy’s would have you think, so if you’re in need of a quick shot of good cheer head over to the Rock for their annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.

Per usual the event is at Defcon 3 with celebrity guests/performances, most on that NBC dollar, so be ready for the cushy soft humor of Al Roker and Natalie Morales as they host. A couple other people with Christmas albums to their names and sugary-sweet stage presences shall also be in attendance, such as Mariah Carey, Susan Boyle, and Josh Groban, so if that’s your thing then, well, we wouldn’t have much to talk about in person. What the real deal here is that there’s this big ole tree that gets turned into the most iconic piece of the holidays that isn’t a dude with a beard. Get in touch with your inner Home Alone 2. Oh, and if a weather man or a crazy lady aren’t your things, the actual tree lights up around 8:55. Beat the crowds, feel your heart grow three times its size, and then carve the roast beast.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
Rockefeller Center [Midtown]
Tuesday, 11/30 7-9pm
FREE