Christmas in Rockefeller Center

NBC heralded the arrival of the 2012 holiday season with a dazzling display of musical talents and the lighting of the world's most famous tree, and I was there…well sort of.  I was on the 6th floor of 30 Rock, working on a"Christmas in Rockefeller Center" gallery for our 10 affiliate stations.  While I didn't see every performance with my own two eyes, there's no doubt I could hear every note sung!

For a few minutes I was even able to sneak into an executive's corner office for a peek of the 80-foot Norway Spruce. Despite performances by Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, and the Muppets, the biggest star at the holiday spectacular was certainly the tree!  Donning 45,00 multicolored LEDs and a 550 pound Swarovski tree topper, its lighting rung in the Rockefeller Center holiday cheer.

Down there is the stage where everyone performed.

And here's what it looked like before being lit with 45,000 LEDs.

Today show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Al Rooker were the evening's MCs.  It all started with dazzling performances by CeeLo Green and Il Volo, but it was the Rockette's  high kicks that got the loudest crowd applause.  Thank goodness, they left their boring Macy's Parade costumes behind, instead donning super shimmery fringy leotards that rivaled even the tree topper's shine.

It looks like Santa found time to leave the North Pole for the night. 
The jolly holiday ambassador made a quick appearance in Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" number.

As the clock stuck 9, the big moment finally arrived...the lighting of the tree!

This year, thousands packed in the plaza for the 80th annual tree lighting ceremony.  But, did you know the tradition dates back to the Great Depression? First erected in 1933, the inaugural tree was decked out with only 700 lights and placed in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building.