Town Christmas tree lightings are popular events. Well, NBC is going to air probably the biggest Christmas tree lighting around with the holiday special Christmas in Rockefeller Center, which has become an annual tradition for the network. The special holiday programming is airing live at 8 pm ET on Wednesday, December 4, on NBC (simulcasted on Peacock) and is being hosted by Kelly Clarkson.
Clarkson, the Emmy and Grammy winner who currently hosts The Kelly Clarkson Show on NBC, will emcee the broadcast for the second time. She’s not the only big name though, as a number of notable musicians are going to be on hand to perform holiday favorites during the two-hour-long broadcast. Here is a complete look at the slate of performers, including as always the Radio City Rockettes:
- Backstreet Boys
- Dan + Shay
- Megan Hilty
- Jennifer Hudson
- Coco Jones
- Little Big Town
- RAYE
- Thalia
NBC’s Today anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin will also make appearances during the broadcast. NBC local stations will also air an hour-long special starting at 7 pm ET hosted by Mario Lopez and New York’s WNBC news anchors Natalie Pasquarella and David Ushery.
NBC has been televising the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree since 1951. If you want to watch the tradition that now spans more than 70 years, you need to have access to your NBC station (through a traditional pay-TV provider, TV antenna or live TV streaming service) or the Peacock streaming platform.
In case you’re curious, this year’s Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is a 74-foot tall, 43-foot wide Norway Spruce from West Stockbridge, Mass. The tree weighs 12 tons, will be decorated with more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and topped with a three-dimensional Swarovski star.
This isn’t the only holiday programming on TV tonight. Immediately following Christmas in Rockefeller Center on NBC, The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon has his own holiday special, Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular. Then over on ABC, two special Abbott Elementary holiday episodes are airing starting at 8 pm ET/PT, followed by a holiday-themed episode of Celebrity Family Feud.
Check out our roundup of the biggest Christmas TV highlights this year to stay up to date on what you can watch to celebrate the holiday season.
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