Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting kicks off holiday season

cold weather was the only issue crowds had to contend with at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tonight CBS 2's Ali Bauman was there and she's live in Midtown with more Ali you know Christine people stand out here all night long waiting in the cold and then the lights turn on so quickly you could almost miss it but everyone has been filing out of the plaza here with smiles on their faces saying it was well worth the wait to be a part of this 90-year tradition and with the flip of a switch all 50 000 LED

lights illuminate this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in that moment it gave me kills I thought it was like really exciting because like it kind of like brought the Christmas spirit I will be back next year it was definitely beautiful hours earlier thousands of people filed into Rockefeller Center to catch a glimpse that's the biggest star I've ever seen Cindy coup was prepared to wait in the rain but she was pleasantly surprised this is something about the Christmas tree and the star and also being here it's just something so different the Nelson family showed up

dressed to impress and cherish this time together because I wanted to see the Christmas tree great memories great way to bring your family here to have fun and an excuse to dress up of course Jennifer Jeter arrived alone but is feeling the love of her mother she really loves Christmas so I thought this would be a nice way to remember her and also get into the Christmas spirit this year's Norway spruce is about 90 years old weighs 14 tons and traveled about 200 miles to get here from Queensbury New York so did Lori Blanchard I

grew up on the property my sister got married in 91 and my dad said this is definitely rockefeller's center-worthy and here we are today after the tree comes down for the season it will be milled into Lumber and donated it's kind of bittersweet because now it's gone but it's nice to know that it is going to go to Habitat for Humanity so it's going to live another life they've been planning to be here for the lighting since the tree was cut down unlike Hilda echigary we just decided to jump on a plane and come to

New York when did you decide that last night she leaves tomorrow but says the cross-country flight to see this was well worth it we live every day we only die once so why not make this a traditional thing if you missed it tonight you can catch the tree all lit up every day 6 a.m to midnight and through mid-January 49th and 50th Streets between 5th and 6th Avenues will be close to traffic throughout the day we're live from Rockefeller Center Ali Bauman CBS 2 News okay Ali thank you