The Rockefeller Christmas tree steals all of the hype and publicity but my favorite holiday tree is at the Metropolitan Museum. The ornaments and figurines were donated in 1964 by private collector Loretta Hines Howard. The crèche is much older than that. It was made in the 18th century by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino from Naples.The magnificently lit 20 foot blue spruce looms over the 18th century Neapolitan Nativity scene surrounded by an abundant array of lifelike figures with robed angels hovering above. You can see this beauty thru January 8 2023. New York City’s first public Christmas tree was actually located in Madison Square Park in 1912. The tree arrived in Madison Square Park on December 21,1912, measuring 60 feet tall. The tree was draped with 2,300 colored electric bulbs donated by the Edison Company. Emilie D. Lee Herreshoff. She proposed a way that would allow everyone, even those who couldn’t afford their own tree, to celebrate the holiday season and participate in the tree lighting.