Rockefella Christmas Tree Jigsaw Puzzle

The Rockefella tree is one of the most famous Christmas Trees in the USA. Each year at the end of November or beginning of December it is put up on the Rockefella Centre Plaza. The lighting of the tree is a big televised event transmitted on NBC, whose headquarters are in the GE building which is the Rockafella complex's highest skyscraper. The lighting event for the 2008 tree pictured in this jigsaw puzzle included an appearance from Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus singing a rendition of Rocking around the Christms Tree. Other performers included Tony Bennett, Beyonce and country singer Faith Hill.

The specially chosen tree, usually a spruce, measures a gigantic 23 to 27 metres in height on average. It has become a true symbol of New York city at Christmas time since a tree was first put up in this location in by workers building the Rockefeller Center at Christmas 1931.

To find a tree deserving of this place of honour, each year a a helicopter scans the forests of the American states of Ohio, Connecticut and Vermont as well as around the Canadian City of Ottawa. When a suitable tree is found, care is taken to ensure it comes to no harm by supporting it with a crane whilst it is being cut. The tree is then transported by a telescopic heavy tuck which can carry trees up to 38 metres high. Once safely on the truck, the rings on its stump are counted to determine its age.

On arrival at the Rockafella Centre plaza, the tree is supported by four wire cables, and a steel rod is drilled into the trunk to secure it on its base and keep it from tumbling over. Eight kilometers of electric cables holding an amazing 30,000 lights are draped round the tree. The current star which has adorned the top of the tree since 2004, is 2.9 metres high, and weighs 250 kilogrammes.