Everything To Know About ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’ Hosted By Reba McEntire
The beloved tradition returns to NYC with star-studded performances.
Photo Courtesy of Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire is gearing up to make her debut as host of NBC’s 2025 Christmas in Rockefeller Center special. The annual holiday telecast will celebrate the lighting of the iconic Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree with must-see performances, continuing a tradition that has captured the hearts of audiences for more than nine decades.
This year’s tree is a whopping 75-foot tall, 45-foot-wide Norway Spruce from East Greenbush, NY. Weighing about 11 tons, the tree will be covered in more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights and topped with a dazzling three-dimensional Swarovski star.
Who’s Performing
Along with seeing the tree light up in the heart of the city, the two-hour event will also showcase festive performances from stars like Marc Anthony, Halle Bailey, Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, New Edition, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Gwen Stefani, and the Radio City Rockettes, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year with a show-stopping holiday routine.
In addition to hosting, McEntire will take the stage herself, delivering joyful performances throughout the night from the historic Rockefeller Center.
Other Appearances
NBC’s “TODAY” anchors Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin and Al Roker will also make special appearances during the show.
“The lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center is one of the great traditions that New York has to offer, and we couldn’t be more proud to once again share that excitement with audiences all over the country,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “We’re so looking forward to seeing Reba bring her infectious energy to the telecast and create an unforgettable holiday moment.”
How To Watch
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree has a history that spans more than 90 years. The tradition began in 1931 during the Great Depression, with the first official tree-lighting ceremony taking place in 1933 in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, then the eight-month-old RCA Building (now the Comcast Building). The celebration grew in 1936 with the opening of the Rockefeller Center Rink, and NBC-TV first televised the event in 1951 on “The Kate Smith Show” and as part of the nationwide “Howdy Doody” television show from 1953-55.
Audiences can once again cozy up at home and tune into this year’s star-studded evening, airing Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and simulcast on Peacock.
Before the primetime broadcast, NBC will air an additional live hour of the special at 7 p.m. ET on its owned television stations and on numerous NBC affiliates nationwide. This early look into the special will be hosted by Mario Lopez alongside WNBC anchors Natalie Pasquarella and David Ushery.
Viewers can also catch Telemundo’s simulcast, Navidades en RockefellerCenter, airing live at 9 p.m. ET and hosted by Javier Poza and Jimena Gallegofrom La Casa de los Famosos, with Gabriel Coronel of En Casa con Telemundo.
How The Special Gives Back
Continuing another longstanding tradition, after the beloved Rockefeller Center tree leaves NYC for the year, it will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and milled into lumber that will be used for home building. This will mark the 17th consecutive year that NBCUniversal has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to support tree-planting efforts in forests impacted by natural disaster. NBCUniversal will plant nearly 20,000 trees in the Apalachicola National Forest this year.
During the broadcast, viewers can also get involved by supporting Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day, helping fund programs that provide safety and housing, education, health care, and economic opportunities for children and families in need.
Immediately after Christmas in Rockefeller Center, a fellow country icon, Trisha Yearwood, will continue to celebrate on NBC by hosting Christmas In Nashville. The holiday musical special will treat viewers to an hour of festive music straight from Music City, performed by an epic lineup of country’s biggest names.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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