The tradition of the New York Christmas tree has been a staple of the city's holiday season for over a century. Every year, a grand tree is selected from a local forest and transported to the city, where it is decorated and placed in front of Rockefeller Center. The tree is usually put up in early December and stays up until early January. However, the exact date varies each year and is determined by the city's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.