From NBC.com news:
NBC’s ‘Christmas In Rockefeller Center’ Special: Light Up The World’s Most Famous Christmas Tree
MICHAEL BUBLE, ARETHA FRANKLIN, ALICIA KEYS, BARRY MANILOW, THE ROOTS, SHAKIRA, TAYLOR SCHILLING (NBC’S “MERCY”), JAMES TUPPER (NBC’S “MERCY”) AND BRIAN WILLIAMS (“NBC NIGHTLY NEWS”) WILL JOIN IN THE HOLIDAY FUN ON DECEMBER 2 (8-9 P.M. ET/PT)
Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”) and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”) To Co-Host
NBC Universal and The Arbor Day Foundation Team Up to Add More Green to the 77th Annual Live Holiday Celebration with an Interactive Viewer Experience
NBC continues to roll out the holiday festivities on Wednesday, December 2 (8-9 p.m. ET/PT) with a dazzling display of musical talent and the lighting of the world’s most famous Christmas tree during the 12th annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” telecast. Co-hosted by NBC stars Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”) and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”) and broadcast in high definition, the star-studded tree lighting celebration will feature Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, The Roots, Shakira, and The Radio City Rockettes performing a mix of current hits and holiday classics from beautifully ornamented stages around Rockefeller Center in New York City.
One of the season’s most treasured traditions, the 77th annual tree lighting extravaganza will also include a performance by co-host Krakowski with The Roots and appearances by Taylor Schilling (NBC’s “Mercy”), James Tupper (NBC’s “Mercy”) and Brian Williams (“NBC Nightly News”).
This year, NBC Universal through its “Green is Universal initiative,” is happy to work with the Arbor Day Foundation to “Text For Your Tree.” Every half hour throughout the national broadcast viewers will be prompted to text NBCU to have a tree planted on their behalf. The trees will be planted by the Arbor Day Foundation, and underwritten by their partners. Additionally, the “Text For Your Tree” promotion will be extended online with an interactive site on both arborday.org and greenisuniversal.com sites. This partnership is expected to drive awareness for the environment and the Arbor Day Foundation – and help to get up to 500,000 trees planted.
The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas tree dates back to the Great Depression. First erected in 1933, the tree was decked with 700 lights and placed in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building, now the GE Building. The Christmas tree gathering was enhanced in 1936 with the opening of the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice-skating pond. NBC-TV televised the first tree lighting in 1951 on “The Kate Smith Show” and as part of the nationwide “Howdy Doody” television show from 1953-55.
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