New York's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights up

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday helped light the Rockefeller Center tree, a 24m-tall Norway spruce that made it through Superstorm Sandy.

Thousands of onlookers crowded behind barricades on the streets that surrounded Rockefeller Center. A video screen was provided for those who did not have a direct line of sight of the tree, which was illuminated with more than 30,000 lights and topped by a Swarovski star.

"It makes me want to sing and dance," said Zuri Young, who came several hours early with her boyfriend to watch the lighting for the first time.

"I've heard a lot about it. I was kind of sick of staying home and watching it on television," the 19-year-old nursing student from Queens said.