Halloween just passed but my Niskayuna neighborhood is starting to shine with the glimmer of Christmas lights and decorations. As you know from your local CVS or Walgreens, the holidays arrive earlier and earlier each year.

One of the highlights to the season has always been the tree on display at Rockefeller Center in New York City. As they say it's "A holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike." and this year the tree might just be a Norwegian spruce from Oneonta!

Born and raised in Connecticut I realized along the way that there wasn't a lot of state pride in the Nutmeg State. I suppose we had the UCONN Huskies and at one time the Hartford Whalers but truth be told that was it and those days have faded. One thing that brought pride to our little state was having one of our trees on display at Rockefeller Center and we did enjoy that honor as recently as 2013.

How cool to have THE tree? From what I understand this wouldn't be the first tree from the Oneonta area displayed in Manhattan but it's like winning a World Series championship. Never gets old. Even in my brief time spent here in the Capital Region it is clear that there is a pride for the region, Counties and the great state of New York.

The entire world looks to New York for the lighting of this tree. In 1931 the very first Rockefeller Center tree was about 20 feet tall and placed before the center was finished being built. This years tree could stand as tall as 100 feet!

I didn't make it an annual trip to NYC to see the tree but more often than not I'd make it there so see the city on fire with lights and holiday spirit. I wonder what it will be like this year. We do know the tree will be on display in it's traditional location on The Plaza. Will we be allowed to see it in person? Will the lighting itself be a virtual ceremony? Virtual or otherwise, if the tree is from Oneonta or anywhere in Upstate New York, I will look at it with the pride of one of your latest residents that already feels at home.

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