Who Flipped The Christmas Switch In NYC?
I love this oversized string of lights on display every year on 6th Avenue in New York City. These lights, along with other larger than life art exhibits and Holiday decor, including the tree at Rockefeller Center, can be viewed from Thanksgiving weekend until New Years Eve. This festive experience began during the Depression, but in 1933 was officially marked as an annual occasion when the plaza at 30 Rockefeller first launched.
The colossal bulb sculpture idea was conceived by American Christmas [the company responsible for decorating most of New York City] CEO Fred Schwam and CCO Kent Fritzel. It debuted as the old school C9 oval bulbs in 1997 in front of the Time/Life Building [1271 6th Avenue]. The original was retired in mid-2000s, and the McGraw-Hill Building recommissioned the piece as the newer and more ‘green initiative’ LED bulbs. The current display at 1221 6th Avenue debuted in 2009 and has been pleasing the eye ever since.
