For 94 holiday seasons the Washington Square Park Christmas tree has sparkled by the Arch. It’s an annual tradition going all the way back to 1924 (7 years before the first tree at Rockefeller Center!). From the very first year the tree lighting has been sponsored by the Washington Square Association: the oldest neighborhood organization in New York City, founded in 1904. Members of the association got the inspiration for their tree lighting from the National Christmas Tree, which was erected by the White House for the first time in 1923.  

This year’s tree is (almost) a local, hailing from Upstate New York, near Buffalo. Stretching over 40 feet tall, a quick look at the needles will tell you that it’s a Douglas Fir. They’re flat and straight with two vertical, pale white stripes. Did you know that the same NYC Parks employee has been responsible for lighting the tree for the last 20 years?

Every year the tree looks different. Some years it’s smaller, like the tree in 1950. Some years it has a slightly different shape, like this tree from 1966. This year we have white lights, but other years they’ve been multi-colored. But whatever the tree looks like, it’s a beautiful tradition that we look forward to every year. Stop by the Park and take a moment to bask in the season. Breathe in the smell of the tree, admire the twinkle of the lights, enjoy the beautiful wreaths that hang on the lampposts – courtesy of the Conservancy –  and appreciate the opportunity to participate in a quintessential NYC tradition that’s nearly 100 years old.