NYC’s Rockefeller Center lights Christmas tree

New York's most famous Christmas tree was lit on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) at Rockefeller Center, officially kicking off the holiday season. The 85-foot Norway spruce was decorated with more than 45,000 lights strung over five miles (8 kilometers) of wire and topped with a Swarovski star.

The 82nd annual ceremony was broadcast live on the U.S. television network NBC and featured performances by Mariah Carey, LeAnn Rimes and Darius Rucker.

"I feel like a big kid, with a bunch of wild lights going off, I'm like, 'wow this is awesome'," said singer LeAnn Rimes.

"I've never actually seen the tree lit in person so it's kind of crazy to stand below and look up and there's this massive thing, you can't even see the top of the tree when you're under it so it's fantastic."

Pre-taped performances included Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, Idina Menzel, The Rockettes and more.

The 13-ton tree was planted in 1915 and was spotted by Rockefeller Center's head gardener Erik Pauze a few years ago as he drove down Interstate 80. It comes from the backyard of a Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania couple.

Thousands of people traditionally attend Rockefeller Center's tree lighting ceremony, which has been an annual event since 1933 soon after the complex was built. — Reuters