On December 2, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was lit up, but the atmosphere was different this year as there were no signature crowds around the tree thanks to the COVID-19 restrictions. The plaza only had a dozen people present.
30 Rock under new normal
The 30 Rock plaza was usually packed with people, but this year it looked more like a department store window when the 75-foot-tall Norway spruce was lit up around 9:45 p.m.
By comparison, the tree lighting in 2019 had hundreds of people jammed on the ice rink of the plaza. That was right in front of a stage that was filled with celebrity performers, according to CBS.
The authorities also had to start cordoning off the area at around 3 p.m. in 2019. In 2020, officers were still putting up barriers at around 5 p.m. because there were 20 people milled about checking out the Christmas tree, according to Washington Post.
At around 6:30 p.m., a few dozen people had still flocked to Midtown to look at the festivities, but they had to stand more than 50 yards away. They were stationed near Saks Fifth Avenue and were jammed close together in front of a metal barricade.
Bill de Blasio warns New Yorkers
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio urged people in a press conference on November 30 to not visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The city declares its new COVID-19 restrictions on access to the area.
The mayor said that it had been the tradition of New Yorkers to visit Rockefeller Center every year to see the Christmas tree in person. But this year, people need to watch it differently. The Christmas tree in 30 Rock is lit every year, and thousands of people flock to witness it.
Mayor de Blasio said that the tree's lighting would be televised, which is the only way to see it instead of in person. This was done after the COVID-19 positive test rate in New York has hit a level that has not been seen since May 2020.
The mayor said that he knows some people still want to go in person, and he asked them to just watch the event on TV in order to be safe.
Mayor de Blasio added that even after the Christmas lighting if the people want to visit the area, there will be a lot of specific rules in place to make it much safer than would normally be the case in a typical year.
There will be a reservation system; groups of no more than four at a time will be able to go up and view the tree. Social distancing will be strictly observed.
While the public was not allowed to watch the tree-lighting in person, fans can still show up at the site starting December 3, as long as they have tickets, masks and they can observe social distancing, according to NBC.
The Christmas tree was fully lit and is open for public viewing from 6 a.m. to midnight every day. However, people can't hang out for a while to enjoy the view as visitors get 5 minutes to take pictures before leaving the area.
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