Rockefeller Tree Lighting Live Stream Video: How To Watch Christmas Tradition

The start of the holiday season is official in New York City when the Rockefeller Tree takes center stage at Rockefeller Plaza. Lighting of the tree is a tradition that is seen around the world and marks the countdown to the Christmas holiday. NBC will air the ceremony live on Wednesday, November 29 at 8pm ET/PT. Live streaming of the event will be through the peacock network's website (cable subscription required).

Live performances by Brett Eldredge, Jennifer Nettles, Leslie Odom Jr., Pentatonix, Gwen Stefani and The Tenors, with additional acts to be announced. NBC's "Today" anchors Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will host the highly anticipated holiday special.

For the eleventh consecutive year, the 2017 Christmas Tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. Once the holidays have passed and crowds have dispersed, the tree comes down and is milled, treated and made into lumber that is used for home building. Each year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree continues to be a symbol of hope, and inspired the children’s book, “The Carpenter’s Gift,” written by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMarche in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity.

For over eight decades, the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center and the holiday decorations adorning and surrounding have stood as a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike. From the beginning, the Tree was a gathering place and reflection of what was happening in the world around it. Even before the first formal tree went up, workers lined up beneath a Christmas tree on the Rockefeller Plaza construction site to collect their paychecks during the height of the Great Depression. People from around the world came after September 11th to see the Tree decorated in a patriotic red, white and blue. Today, more than half a million people pass by the Tree every day, making Rockefeller Center the epicenter of New York City’s holiday celebrations.