Fifty-thousand multi-colored lights are shining on Rockefeller Center’s iconic Christmas tree, with crowds gathering to witness the annual New York City tradition.

The iconic Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center has been lit before a crowd in New York City.

A federal monitor says she has found disappointing results when she studied the legality of New York City's new initiative to combat gun violence in high-crime areas with an old tactic of stopping and frisking people.

Remember that adorable little owl that was found in the Christmas tree being used to light up Rockefeller Center? If you somehow missed one of the best nuggets of good news to happen this year, a tiny owl was discovered inside the New York City tree, right around Thanksgiving time. Rocky, the owl found in the Rockefeller Christmas tree, has been returned to the wild -- Read full story. The owl, named Rocky, was nursed back to health, and she was eventually set back free into the wild by Ravensbeard Wildlife Center. In fact, she loved Rocky’s story so much that she decided to write a children’s book about the celebrity owl.

From the tree that stands tall and beautiful in Rockefeller Center to the humble Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the traditional tree. Christmas trees are part of the Christmas spirit, but when and how did this all become such a staple in the Christmas tradition? By the 1890s Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas tree popularity was on the rise around the U.S. The first Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center was in 1931. Workers at the Rockefeller Center construction site put their money together for a 20-foot Christmas tree because they were thankful to have jobs during the great depression.

People look from the windows of 30 Rockefeller Center as more than 50,000 lights on the 75-foot-tall Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree are illuminated at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)NEW YORK – Rockin' around the Christmas tree looks different for visitors at Rockefeller Center this year, starting with Wednesday's tree lighting ceremony. In the days following the lighting until the early part of January, those wishing to take a look at the tree will have to follow a host of rules. At that point, they will be directed to specific pods, each of which can hold four people, to look at the tree. Workers at Rockefeller Center first put up a tree in 1931.

Rocky the owl has been returned to the wild. The tiny Saw-whet owl was found stuck inside this year’s Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in 30 Rock last week, and thanks to some wonderful environmentalists, he’s now out. Rockefeller, or “Rocky” for short, became stuck inside the 75-foot-tall tree, and he was found and named by a worker setting up the tree Nov. 16, according to the Associated Press. Rocky, a female owl, was taken to Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in the Hudson Valley town of Saugerties to be nursed back to health. A video of Rocky taking flight back into the wild was posted on the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center’s Facebook page.

NEW YORK – Have you seen the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for 2020? The 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially arrived at the Plaza. 🎄 pic.twitter.com/RapXlMt1Fb — Rockefeller Center (@rockcenternyc) November 14, 2020Here are some of the Twitter user responses to the 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree 🎄:What the heck is wrong with the tree??? 2020on brand... pic.twitter.com/6K2n4bX9u7 — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) November 17, 2020In true 2020 form, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree looks like it tried to cut its own hair pic.twitter.com/HEV0OImQ7u — Chris Ryan 🏳️‍🌈 (@HiChrisRyan) November 15, 2020BE NICE TO THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE, IT’S TRYING ITS BEST! A worker helping set up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree found a holiday surprise - a tiny owl among the massive branches.

The 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, a 75-foot tall Norway Spruce that was acquired in Oneonta, N.Y., is suspended by a crane as its is prepared for setting on a platform at Rockefeller Center Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)ONEONTA, N.Y. – A 75-foot (23-meter) Norway spruce arrived Saturday at New York City's Rockefeller Center to serve as one of the world's most famous Christmas trees. The tree was donated by Al Dick of Daddy Al's General Store in Oneonta, in central New York. Tishman Speyer, the company that owns Rockefeller Center, has said it's especially proud to keep up the tree tradition this year. The pandemic has spurred the cancellation of some other New York holiday customs, such as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, a 75-foot tall Norway Spruce, is guided onto a flatbed truck, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Oneonta, N.Y. The tree will be brought into New York City and erected at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, Nov. 14. (Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer)ONEONTA, N.Y. – The 75-foot (23-meter) Norway spruce that will anchor New York City's holiday festivities as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was cut down in upstate New York on Thursday and will soon be headed to Manhattan. The tree was donated by Al Dick of Daddy Al's General Store in Oneonta, developer Tishman Speyer said in a release. It will be trucked to New York City and erected at Rockefeller Center on Saturday.

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, a 75-foot tall Norway Spruce, is guided onto a flatbed truck, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Oneonta, N.Y. The tree will be brought into New York City and erected at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, Nov. 14. (Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer)ONEONTA, N.Y. – The 75-foot (23-meter) Norway spruce that will anchor New York City's holiday festivities as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was cut down in upstate New York on Thursday and will soon be headed to Manhattan. The tree was donated by Al Dick of Daddy Al's General Store in Oneonta, developer Tishman Speyer said in a release. It will be trucked to New York City and erected at Rockefeller Center on Saturday.