This is the story of how the Rockefeller Center Tree got so lit this Christmas.
The lighting of the Rockefeller Center tree is kind of a big Christmas deal. Finding free things is kind of a big deal to me. I stumbled across a website called 1iota where you can score audience tickets to the taping of television shows. On that website I discovered tickets to the pre-taping of Seal’s performance for the televised Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting concert. I did a mini self guided tour of Rockefeller Center before lining up.
I arrived much earlier than necessary because I could’ve got lost or delayed. I didn’t, and was the first person in line.
After a couple of hours of waiting we were security checked and ushered over to a barricaded area to line up some more. It was here random people kept asking, “What are you waiting for?”
My standard response was, “Seal’s pretaping for tomorrow’s concert.” So many people were asking that I wanted to say we were waiting for Christmas. At this point it was still November.
We waited...
then waited...
and waited some more. Surely Christmas had already passed.
Finally we were escorted over to the taping area. The first few people in were able to watch the sound check around the corner of the wall.
We were placed around the sides of the stage. I got to stand right at the front.
Seal made eye contact with me as I swayed and smiled from ear to ear. I wasn’t about to be caught scowling on television.
Maybe Seal looked my way so much because it was nice to see an audience member smiling, or maybe he kept looking at me because it was unnaturally creepy for me to be smiling so much and he wanted to keep an eye on me.
Here you can see that creepy smile made it all the way to “live” television the next evening.
After Seal sang two Christmas songs twice, the mini concert was over.
I explored the Saks Fifth Avenue windows that day too.
This year they were themed after Snow White to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Disney animated classic.
Designers also display garments inspired by the fairytale.
Every twenty minutes or so the facade of Saks is illuminated with twinkling lights, and a joyous soundtrack rings out to the adoring crowds.
I would recommend seeing the windows before the tree is lit, so you can beat the crowds.
I ticked something off my bucket list that day too. I had a pumpkin spice latte from a Starbucks in New York. I even recorded the experience on Snapchat. #Basic
The next day I went back for more festive goodness. I wanted to see the lighting of the tree live. I’d done my research and knew there was no place you could watch the concert live without paying for a ticket that would cost you an arm and a leg and your first born. I thought if I arrived early enough I might be able to find a sneaky spot.
What I did find was a spot to watch the sound check of Train. Or as one lady called them “Tee-rain”. She saw Train written on their drum kit and asked, “Who’s Tee-rain?”
I moved around the plaza to find a decent viewing spot until finally I was told everyone was going to be told to leave the secured area, wait in line and be screened. This was the first year of security screening and it happened on the corner of Fifth and 50th.
I had my belongings searched and my body scanned, then was allowed into a barricaded area that provided a view of the screen and tree.
I sat on the ground for a couple of hours until the concert finally started.
I sang along to carols that may or may not have been performed lived. We all laughed hilariously when the concert hosts said the crowds were going wild. The “wild” crowds were so over waiting, but were commited to seeing the lights on the tree actually lit.
It finally happened and so did the selfies.
The Rockefeller plaza and much of Fifth Avenue were barricaded, so I had to walk a couple of blocks in the wrong direction just to escape.
A few days later I returned to the scene to capture a few more images, including the first one in this post.
Now that I’ve done the tree lighting I don’t see myself doing it again. If you’re planning on watching the tree lighting I would recommend taking snacks, patience and your festive spirit.
1iota
