The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree holds a heartfelt story rooted in family legacy. Planted by Earl and Leslie Albert in 1967, the Norway spruce in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was once waist-high. Now, standing 74 feet tall, it’s headed for New York City to spread holiday joy.

The tree’s selection feels serendipitous for the Alberts. In 2020, Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, spotted the tree and knocked on their door just days after Leslie’s passing, prompting her son Michael to feel it was her handiwork. Earl described donating the tree as “one of the greatest honors” of his life, believing Leslie would be “thrilled.”

The Alberts see this as a new beginning, with Michael adding, “It’s a tribute to my mom.” The tree will soon sparkle with 50,000 LED lights and a Swarovski star, with the family present at the lighting on Dec. 4. To honor Leslie, the Alberts will create a memorial in the spot where their beloved tree once stood.