Tonight is the annual tree-lighting at Rockefeller Center. The festivity includes "music artists" who lip-synch and too many TV commercials overpaying for expensive airtime. For the first time in 20 years, NBC won't have commentator Matt Lauer hosting the event... because they fired him overnight for his sexual misconduct.
Unlike other cities at Christmastime, NYC treats its event like a "lock-down": spectators are expected to line up several hours beforehand; if you leave for refreshments, you might not get back in; no bathrooms; barricades all around; streets are closed; and subways stations are closed.
During the event, spectators can't see most of the performances...
because they happen atop the buildings (as seen below) or off-site. It doesn't seem worthwhile to stand in line for hours for such a substandard view... but people do it.
When its finally over--after the pushing of a button by an uncaring mayor--EVERYONE leaves AT THE SAME TIME. That floods the few subway stations that are available. It overwhelms the bus stops in the vicinity... for HOURS! Such aggravation is more of a deterrent to avoid the event... but only clever people consider such logistics.
Naturally, the MTA does NOT arrange extra subways or buses at this time of year. That's your tax dollars hard at work. Anyone with knowledge/wisdom avoids the area.
However, one thing might make the mess less offensive: if they stopped chopping down real trees that take 100+ years to grow.
In the cheap/skinflint style of robber-baron John D. Rockefeller, Rockefeller Center doesn't even PAY for the trees! They entice landowners to give up each tree "for the joy given to others". So, the landowner loses property value by removing a historic tree... and doesn't get a dime.
This is not surprising, considering that the very first Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center was purchased in 1931 by poor Depression-era employees working to build Rockefeller Center. Mr. Rockefeller didn't buy the original tree, so I suppose his family doesn't want to start doing it now either. Yet, his family's Fund is happy for all the consumerism/tourism/profits that the tree brings his Center.
The Rock obviously has enough money, so why can't they build an artificial tree for Christmas? Americans already clamor for an artificial Las Vegas and Disney World. Many people opt for faux firs in their homes. Many cities around the globe happily illuminate artificial trees.
Those cities avoid harming centenarian evergreens.
Why make such a fuss of scouting/cutting down historic pine trees for Rock Center? Is it really worth it? Rockefeller is a closed-off "wall" that practically hides the tree from the majority of the city. Tourists go out of their way to find it.
Even by planting hundreds of baby trees, people cannot replace the hundred-year-old conifers that get chainsawed for Manhattan (and then get put in a nearly-hidden place). It might be better to transplant a tree into the park and use it annually.
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