Chicago's Christmas tree is officially lit for the holiday season

The city of Chicago has officially lit its Christmas tree.

The ceremony took place Friday night in Millennium Park, and there was a packed crowd for the annual tradition.

The city tree is a 55-foot tall Blue Spruce from west suburban Elgin. It was selected from more than 40 nominees.

The tree was donated by the Nelson family.

"We're sad that it's going, because it's been around, we've been here 20 plus years, we're sad it's going but we're happy that it's going to Chicago and it's going to be used again and lots of people are going to see it,” Gene Nelson said.

The tree is Chicago's 106th Christmas tree. City archives show the earliest version in 1913 was actually several trees joined together and glistening with hundreds of multi-colored lights.

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"We think it's going to be fantastic, it's going to be lit in a way that we could never do it,” Nelson said.

Chicago Christmas tree 2019