An act of luck and mother nature almost kept this year's Christmas tree from making it to its new home at New York's Rockefeller Center.
The 80-foot (24.3-metre) tall Norway Spruce is owned by the Balku family from Flanders, New Jersey.
Joseph Balku said he was very nervous during Superstorm Sandy.
"I was very concerned because the wind was very heavy, about 50 to 65 miles an hour. But it was all wrapped up a little bit so it was okay. There was no problem...I did go and look at it many, many times to make sure it was still there," Balku said.
According to Balku, the tree was planted between 1960 and 1964, and was about fifteen feet tall (4.5 metres) when he bought the property his family called home in 1973.
Balku, who immigrated to the US from Hungary in 1956, said he is looking forward to seeing the tree decorated.
Eric Pauze, the head gardener at the Rockefeller Center who is charged with finding the iconic tree, said he came across this year's specimen after getting lost whilst driving in New Jersey.
"I had made a wrong turn and went up the road and found this tree, and I turned around and went back down and found it. I am constantly looking for trees," Pauze said.
Pauze, who has been finding trees for the plaza for over 10 years, said his main criteria is to look for the perfect tree that will make everybody smile.
Rockefeller Center began the tradition of the tree lighting in 1933, and it quickly become a Christmas tradition for many visitors
Associated Press
Thu Nov 15 2012
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