TREE LIGHTING: Earlier this year, New Yorkers Fountains of Wayne transformed Demetri Martin into a lonely suit living in Brooklyn in this video. Tonight the band will be rockin' around the Stuy Town Christmas tree. A reader writes in:I just happened to see this flyer hanging up for the annual christmas tree lighting. And what the hell is this...7:30-8:00pm, FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE. Seems like it's top secret, but there are flyers everywhere.Random! But if you're......

With street-side Christmas trees going for more each year and the average apartment size decreasing, we propose the adoption of a new holiday standard: Enjoy your Christmas Tree in a highball glass. To wit: Clear Creek Distillery’s Eau de Vie of Douglas Fir, 375 milliliters of pine flavored brandy, found at Red Hook booze and esoteric spirits emporium LeNell’s. This small, $45 bottle is cheaper and has a lesser environmental impact than deforestation, and will......

Last week the Origami Tree went up in all its folded glory, and pretty soon all eyes will be on the "most famous tree in the world" when the Rockefeller Center's spruce gets lit up (with LEDs!). amNewYork spoke to David Murbach, the gardens manager at Rockefeller Center, who drives the back roads of the Northeast looking for trees each year prior to doing an aerial survey in the winter months to see which evergreens......

1) Features about the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, in anticipation of this year's Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The NY Times looks how performances from the 1930s and 1940s inspired this year's show while Newsday notes on the technology being used. Both focus on the amazing synchronized dancing. 2) Starbucks has decorated its stores with Christmas decorations and has started to use Christmas/holiday themed cups. Cajun Boy in the City also counts Josh Grobin......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: stabbing in Harlem, large protest on the Brooklyn Bridge, and a bank robbery in Brooklyn Heights. The Empire State Building is now officially open until 2am-- and for $120 bucks, you can go right to the top without waiting on line. Con Ed has a fifteen trucks designed to detect stray voltage-- the equipment inside can detect problems up to 30 feet away on either side. Rudy Giuliani is......

The Rink at Rockefeller Center is 70 years old today. The rink, in the heart of Midtown and unrivaled for many years (until the Bryant Park's Pond opened), first opened on Christmas Day in 1936. Being located right by the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and the Today Show studios has helped its popularity. It seems to be open today - here are more details. There are also skating options nearby - there's Bryant Park's Pond......

It's crazy holiday congestion time when the NYPD starting hauling out mesh netting to control crowds. But, really, when there's a teeming mass of insane people in Midtown who want to see the Rockettes or attempt to buy a Wii or see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, is mesh enough? We know the police is under scrutiny over brutality, but cattle prods anyone? Photographs of NYPD in midtown by Kathy Willens/AP......

While they mark the holiday shopping season, does anyone even notice department store window displays anymore? In front of both Lord & Taylor and Saks, there were velvet ropes positioned for lines, and security present for 'crowd control'...but it seemed as if very few had even a passing interest in the windows. Take a look at Lord & Taylor (pictured above), for instance. Please keep those rosy cheeked youths and sweat suited tourists back!......

Even before Thanksgiving, stands full of beautiful Christmas trees started springing up on streets, beckoning even the Scroogiest of Grinches to bring a Douglas fir home. But there is always sticker shock, and the Daily News reports there are some $400 trees for sale this season. The News found a 12-foot $400 Canadian balsam at the Chambers and Greenwich lot, where the manager, Scott Gartland, explained that his prices were steady, given the cost......

Expect a lot of hubbub around Rockefeller Center this morning - an 88 foot Norway spruce is arriving from Ridgefield, Connecticut to be the official Christmas Tree. Owner Rob Kinnaird told reporters how he grew up with the 9-ton tree ("My sandbox and glide ride [jungle gym] used to be next to the tree.") and that he was excited for the tree to will be in New York. The tree should be arriving now;......

The Democrats officially have control of the Senate - Virginia Senator George Allen conceded Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a watermain break in the Bronx, an overturned ambulance in Brooklyn, and a shooting in Harlem. James Madison H.S. in Brooklyn has produced three current U.S. Senators. Now if they could only do something about all the metal-detectors. Adrienne Shelly's killer is at Bellevue, undergoing psychiatric evaluations City officials are saying the intersection of Flatbush......

On Saturday, Gothamist ventured to buy a Christmas tree on Greenwich Street in Tribeca (thanks, Super Fun Christmas Tree Map). Perhaps that was our first problem - shopping in Tribeca. Anyway, we noticed a very lovely tree, perhaps about 7-8 feet tall, and inquired about the price. The seller said in a friendly manner, "I don't want to stick shock you, but it's $200." Baby Jesus, we were shocked! It was a noble fir which......

Another day, another nifty Google Maps mashup. Today's pick: Manhattan All Night. It's only got Manhattan stuff, hence the name, but it still manages to list 100 restaurants, 102 Deli/bodegas, 57 drug stores and 21 other stores that just don't close. That 280 24-hour spots for you to hit up those times when you're just too wired to get to sleep. Speaking of Google mashups, if you haven't played with it yet, check out our......

Tonight is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, which is why today is a gridlock alert day. The WNBC Channel 4 Christmas Tree page and tree cam now has music, as they count down till 7PM. We're sure crowds are already at Rockefeller Center, breathlessly awaiting Al Roker, Sheryl Crow, Il Divo, Carrie Underwood, Il Divo and the Goo Goo Dolls, but the other way to watch is to tune in at 7PM and......

Yesterday we asked you to submit Christmas Tree Retail locations to help people new to the city find a tree. You responded with more than thirty locations-- and we've plotted these on the Gothamist Christmas Tree Holiday Map. Please help us continue this important work by adding your own spot to the map, or leaving a comment on this post with a new location and we'll add it for you.......

Last night, the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center was lit, signaling the beginning of the mid-town holiday madhouse. The 71 foot (8 whole feet less than 2003) Norway spruce comes in at a hefty 9 tons and finds its way to New York City from Suffern, NY. The tree is topped by a star with 25,000 crystals, decorated with 30,000 lights, and tangled in five miles of wire. To watch the lighting, people at had......

If Thanksgiving is over, then Christmas trees all around the city must be lit. Here are three events the Daily News notes: - Tonight, the holiday tree at Lincoln Center will be lit. ABC 7's Sam Champion is hosting the event, which will feature high wire artist Pedro Carrillo, Sr., walking a tightrope across Lincoln Center's plaza and Mickey Mouse helping throw the switch to illuminate the 50 foot tree. Also, there are free saplings......

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is up, and thus begins the semi-official start of the holiday season and throngs and throngs of tourists - from far away and near - to Midtown. On November 16, next Tuesday, a special Swarovski-designed star will be topping the tree, and the official tree lighting ceremony is on November 30. Think 30,000 lights being put on by a dozen electricians! You have some time to build up your strength......

The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was lit yesterday. Dedicated to U.S. troops, the tree will remain in its 30,000 light strong capacity till January 6. The tree lighting is in its 73rd year of being lit on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. Missed the tree lighting? Look at WNBC's tree coverage.......

Right, so Gothamist was totally crazed yesterday got our dates mixed up. Today is the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, where you can freeze your buns off with hundreds, probably thousands, more. Or you can watch it at home at 7PM on WNBC Channel 4, and be all warm and settled in to change the channel to Fox Channel 5 watch The Simple Life at 8:30PM and The O.C. at 9PM. Sigh, we......

The lighting of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center tonight leads to the Department of Transportation's announcement of gridlock dates: December 3, 5, 10, 12, 18 and 19. It goes without saying that mass transit is highly recommended. The tree will be lit at 7PM tonight at Rockefeller Center. Check out WNBC's Christmas Tree page, including their live Tree Cam! After almost being trampled by the crowds at Rockefeller Center in past years, we're sticking......

rion has some wonderful pictures of the 79 foot Christmas tree going up at Rockefeller Center. rion was very industrious - she took the photographs from both on the ground at Rockefeller Plaza and from a very tall building's windows. More about this year's Christmas tree. And look at other photographs on rion.nu.......