30 Rock shares tree with nation

NEW YORK CITY (NBC) - They are big name performers, but the show-stoipper everyone wants to see is the giant tree. The seven story spruce overlooks the Rockefeller skating rink and serves as the centerpiece to officially kick off the holiday season. With the stage set and a towering eight ton Norway spruce in place at Rockefeller Center, last minute rehearsals are underway for Wednesday's the annual tree lighting ceremony. America's Got Talent's Neil Boyd warmed up his voice and the Rockettes readied those famous kicks.

The New York tree-lighting tradition, now a nationwide celebration, ushers in the holidays and brings together locals and tourists. "It's my favorite part of Christmas, the tree...it's amazing, magical," said Pam Birch from Augusta, Georgia.

The Rockefeller tree lighting dates back to the Great Depression. Around the same tim, this year's 72-foot tall tree was just getting its start at Bill Varanyak's home in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. His mother planted the tiny spruce and hoped it would someday become a Rockefeller Christmas tree. A helicopter scout team for Rockefeller Center helped make the dream come true. "I was working in my greenhouse and I heard this 'rrrrr,' said Varanyak. "'What the heck is that?' [I] went outside and there was a helicopter up there."

Now, the iconic centerpiece is wrapped with $30,000 LED energy-efficient lights and adorned with a massive crystal star ready for its shining moment.