by Sarah Chandler
When the lights come down and the famous tree is removed from its place overlooking ice skaters and tourists on Jan. 7, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will continue to spread its holiday cheer. The 75 year-old, 10 ton tree will be milled into lumber that will then be donated to Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for families in need.
When the lights come down and the famous tree is removed from its place overlooking ice skaters and tourists on Jan. 7, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will continue to spread its holiday cheer. The 75 year-old, 10 ton tree will be milled into lumber that will then be donated to Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for families in need.
According to earth911.com, Rockefeller Center has donated its Christmas trees to Habitat for Humanity since 2007. In years past, wood from these iconic Christmas trees has been used to construct multi-family condominium complexes in Brooklyn, NY and Stamford, CT. In 2007, the lumber was used to build a house in Mississippi for a family who had lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.
This year, even more people can have a piece of the famous tree. Parts of the tree that cannot be turned into lumber will instead be made into commemorative paper bookplates that will be placed in copies of The Carpenter’s Gift, a children’s book about the annual donation of the tree to Habitat. According to justthebookstore.com, the story is about a small boy living during the Great Depression without a home for the holidays.
Even after its removal from New York, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree is a gift that keeps on giving.