If you weren’t watching closely, the first signs of the 2021 holiday season might’ve tiptoed by you. But two events, this week, proved the door is open, if only a little, for holidays far more normal than any since the pandemic began.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Is It Finally the 2021 Holiday Season in New York?
At Rockefeller Center, a controversial Christmas tree…
Yesterday, a 79 foot tall, 85 year old Norway spruce was chopped down in Elkton, Maryland. Until then, it lived a healthy life in a family’s yard, according to 6sqft. “Rockefeller Center officials look for a Norway spruce in the later years of its life that measures at least 75 feet tall and is 46 inches in diameter,” it says.
If so, they missed their mark by over a century. Norway spruce normally remain healthy for around 200 years. Their average lifespan is between 300 and 400 years.
Cutting down healthy trees, whether for living rooms or Rockefeller Center, is controversial, and nothing about this year’s tree changes that. As a sort of apology, the group pledges each year to plant many more trees as compensation.
A lighting ceremony, broadcast nationally, is on tap for December 1st. Last year, because of the pandemic, no one was allowed to observe it in person, but this year is different. Although details for NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center have not been released, many, if not all, restrictions will be lifted.
A less controversial next step…
On Saturday, the 2021 holiday season gets a popular, but not as celebrated boost with the opening of the Rockefeller Center skating rink. For $20 a pop, skaters can glide by Prometheus and, once it’s up, this years Christmas tree.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- Queens Subway and Far Rockaway Stabbings Spur Police InvestigationsQueens subway and Far Rockaway stabbings on September 30 prompted separate police investigations and community response after two fatal incidents disrupted daily routines.
- Fatal Stabbing on J Train at Woodhaven Boulevard Spurs Subway Safety Concerns in QueensA fatal stabbing on J train at Woodhaven Boulevard raises fresh subway safety concerns in Queens, as NYPD investigates and riders reflect on recent incidents.
- J and M Train Weekend Service Changes: What Riders Need to KnowJ and M train weekend service changes will impact riders for five weekends as crews replace elevated track switches. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare for modified schedules across Brooklyn and Queens.
- Coastal Flooding Disrupts Southeast Queens Streets and TransitCoastal flooding disrupted streets and transit across Southeast Queens as a fall nor’easter brought heavy rain and renewed calls for resilience and improved drainage.
- Nor’easter Brings Slow Streets and Transit Delays Across Queens and NYCAfter the nor’easter, slow streets and transit delays across Queens and NYC greeted commuters. Utility crews continued repairs as normal routines resumed Monday.
- Nor’easter Brings Flooding and Disruption Across New York CityA powerful nor’easter brings flooding and disruption across New York City, with heavy rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding impacting neighborhoods through the weekend.
Old RIOC, New Lawyer
President Jones has become better at saying RIOC cares.
