Christmas in Rockefeller Center is just around the corner!

The 79th annual holiday extravaganza will feature a Norway Spruce tree that is 74 feet high, 46 feet in diameter and weighs 10 tons.

The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas tree dates back to the Great Depression. First erected in 1933, the inaugural tree was decked with 700 lights and placed in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building, now the GE Building. The Christmas tree gathering was enhanced in 1936 with the opening of the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice-skating pond. NBC-TV televised the tree lighting for the first time in 1951 on “The Kate Smith Show” and as part of the nationwide “Howdy Doody” television show from 1953-55.

Prior to this year’s primetime telecast, WNBC, NBC’s flagship station, and other NBC affiliates (listed below) will broadcast an additional live hour of the special from 7 to 8 p.m. ET . This first hour will feature performances by all the show’s stars and a special performance by Megan Hilty, star of the upcoming NBC musical drama “SMASH”.

WVIR – Charlottesville, VA, WLWT – Cincinnati, OH, WBOY – Clarksburg, WV, WETM – Elmira, NY, WBBH – Fort Myers, FL, WHAG – Hagerstown, MD, WBIR – Knoxville, TN, WGAL – Lancaster, PA, WAVE – Louisville, KY, WNBC – New York, NY, WCAU – Philadelphia, PA, WEYI – Saginaw-Bay City, MI, WTWC – Tallahassee, FL, WNWO – Toledo, OH, WFMJ – Youngstown, OH, WHIZ – Zanesville, OH, KMIR – Palm Springs, CA

The live broadcast will feature a performances by Tony Bennett, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Cee Lo Green, Faith Hill, Carole King, Katharine McPhee, Javier Colon and The Radio City Rockettes! My Christmas music playlist is just not the same without Tony Bennett so you can imagine how excited I am about that. Michael Bublé, Faith Hill, and Katharine McPhee (SMASH) I am also particularly excited about – I am just now getting into Bublé’s music! Why it took so long I will never know. Then there’s Javier Colon to get excited about. NBC has been treating him well since his time on The Voice. This special is great exposure for him for those who missed the first season of The Voice which was fantastic! And finally, pulling it all together are The Radio City Rockettes who freeze their butts off every year performing outside in the freezing cold for us. Thank you!

If you can’t attend or choose not to due to the weather/traffic/crazy amount of people that come for a good spot hours before the event actually begins… you can watch it live, hosted by Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday, November 30th from 8 to 9 p.m. ET on NBC.