Learn About The Couple Who Planted This Year’s Rockefeller Christmas Tree Back In 1967
This story about the 2024 Rockefeller Christmas tree will surely bring tears to your eyes this Christmas season.
The Rockefeller Christmas tree is beloved around the globe. Each year, people travel to New York to see it in person or watch the annual tree lighting ceremony, when the tree’s lights illuminate the evening. This tradition is magical each year, but this year is especially beautiful due to the tree’s unforgettable story.
Watch last year’s tree lighting below.
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Erik Pauze, the Head Gardener at Rockefeller Center, selects the perfect Christmas tree for the live event each year. Sometimes, people nominate the trees, while in other years, Pauze discovers them by chance.
In 2020, Pauze was driving through the Northeast when he spotted a giant spruce. He stopped and knocked on Earl Albert’s door, and this is where the story got really sweet.
Pauze, the head gardener, told Rockefeller Center magazineabout the day in his own words.
“I came from getting gas after staying overnight tree searching. I saw the beautiful Norway Spruce as I drove down the road, and it was right in front of me. I knocked on the door and met Earl Albert. I asked if he would someday consider donating the tree to Rockefeller Center. His answer was immediately yes.”
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The Tree’s Unique History
Newlyweds Earl and Leslie Albert planted a small tree in 1967, just a year after their marriage. Over the past 57 years, this tree has flourished in their family yard and has now become a stunning feature that will illuminate the New York skyline.
When Earl was asked how he felt about his tree being chosen, he sweetly said that it was “one of the greatest honors of my life.”
When Pauze knocked on Earl’s door that day, he did not know that Leslie Albert had passed away just days prior.
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The stunning tree perfectly represented the couple’s legacy and their lifetime together. Michael Albert, Earl and Leslie’s son, told TODAY,“It’s a new beginning for the tree. It’s a new beginning for our family.”
Leslie Albert will be remembered today, December 4th, as the Christmas tree lights are turned on, marking the beginning of the holiday season.
Watch Kelly Clarkson share her thoughts on this story below. Share on Facebook
