For Americans, there’s no Christmas tree quite as iconic as the decorated behemoth overlooking the ice-skating rink outside Rockefeller Center in New York City.
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It’s not just a decorated tree strung with lights and ornaments bigger than your head—it’s a beloved part of pop culture, the holiday season, and NYC. It’s one of the most-visited Christmas destinations in the country, too, with millions of spectators passing by each winter.
But it’s not the front-runner when it comes to the biggest Christmas trees in the world.
Wondering where you can find a Christmas tree that dwarves the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree? There aren’t many, but they’re out there—and you might hurt your neck looking up at them in wonder. Similar to their NYC counterpart, they’re dressed to the nines (in ornaments, so to speak) and standing in the center of large plazas and parks.
Here’s where you can find the biggest Christmas trees in the world.
What are the metrics here?
Many groups lay claim to having the tallest Christmas tree in the world, but there’s no single organization responsible for measuring heights and widths and counting those ornaments. This list is based on reputation just as much as physical size.
I’m also excluding ‘Christmas trees’ that aren’t actually trees. That includes the Christmas lights display in Gubbio, Italy, which are arranged on a mountainside to resemble a massive Christmas tree, along with Lisbon’s fake Christmas tree that you can climb up inside.
Both are very cool, but neither is an actual tree.
6 biggest Christmas trees in the world
Citadel Outlets Christmas Tree (Los Angeles)
If you’re a Christmas purist like me, I have some tough news: the world’s tallest confirmed Christmas tree in the world is in an outlet mall parking lot in Los Angeles. Standing at 115 feet tall, it looks like it’s becoming part of the area’s holiday shopping tradition. Apparently, locals flock to shop at the outlets and gander at the tree—and even some tourists stop by.
Dortmund Christmas Tree (Germany)
Fear not—the LA outlet mall Christmas tree isn’t the only tree with a claim to be the tallest in the world. Dortmund, Germany, annually lifts and decorates a behemoth of a tree. It’s estimated to be around 150 feet tall each year and weigh around 4.5 tons. However, in a devastating twist, the Dortmund Christmas tree isn’t a single, naturally grown tree. It’s a Frankenstein made of over 1,000 smaller spruce trees that are fitted onto a frame.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree (New York)
Shipped from Scandinavia each year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a behemoth that usually weighs between 12-14 tons and rises over 75 feet in the air. It’s also one of the most bedazzled Christmas trees in the world—its star topper, for example, has millions of inlaid crystals. It’s not the biggest Christmas tree in the world, but you could argue it’s the prettiest.
Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree (London)
Back in the 1940s, a Norwegian king gifted Great Britain with a massive Christmas tree to thank the nation for its aid during WWII. To this day, the tradition continues. Each year, you can visit the larger-than-life Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. It comes from deep within Norway’s emerald forests, and, as such, is troll-sized.
Strasbourg Christmas Tree (France)
If you want to rank the biggest Christmas trees in Europe, skip Dortmund’s Frankenstein tree. The true beauty is located in Strasbourg’s lovely Christmas market. It’s an Alsatian fir tree that usually rises around 100 feet and is decked out in traditional, colorful Christmas decorations. I think of it like Europe’s Rockefeller Center tree.
Enid Christmas Tree (Oklahoma)
Lastly, the small town of Enid, Oklahoma, is known for its absolutely mammoth ‘Christ tree’. Holiday festivities take place around the tree, some of which are centered around more religious-focused activities and celebrations. The tree stands around 140 feet tall, putting it on par with the Rockefeller Center Tree, the Citadel Outlets Tree, and the Trafalgar Square Tree.
