People come from far and wide to see The Rockefeller Tree lit up every year. The iconic tree is considered the ‘worldwide symbol of Christmas,’ and for great-granddaughter to John D. Rockefeller Jr., Ariana Rockefeller, the 69- to 100-foot Norway spruce also represents hope.
‘The first tree was in 1931 during the Great Depression,’ the brunette beauty told the Daily Mail. ‘The workers put it up, they were thankful to have employment building Rockefeller Center because it was one of the only construction projects that was happening at the time, so to them the tree represented hopefulness and perseverance.’
‘My great grandfather (John D. Rockefeller Jr.) wanted to continue with construction so that people would have jobs. The fact that it was the workers that organized and put up the tree and got their paychecks underneath it, I think that’s the spirit of New York,’ she explained. Pictured: Rockefeller’s ice skating rink and Christmas tree in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, New York.
‘The perseverance of New Yorkers is something I’ve always admired and loved, and I feel it’s true for me and my family that there’s no greater thing than perseverance when it comes to handling challenges and going through challenging times.’ Pictured: The first Rockefeller Christmas tree, which employees line up beside to receive their pay.
This is Ariana’s first fall season back in New York after two years living abroad during the pandemic. Pictured: The Rockefeller tree.
Like a true Rockefeller, the model and philanthropist is back and carrying out her family’s deep tradition of celebrating the season with generosity and style, hosting a housewarming party.
Pictured: Inside Ariana’s new apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Ariana shared: ‘My grandfather (David Rockefeller) would have a Christmas caroling party every year, and he would have all of his team, staff, their families and friends, and I think its a wonderful time to really gather people together. We’re all a team. I feel teamwork is community.’
As a devoted member of the community, Ariana has served as a co-chair for the New York Botanical Garden’s Winter Wonderland Ball for at least five years. The glamorous affair closes out the year’s social calendar and supports NYBG’s Children’s Education Program. Prior to jetting up to the Bronx for the ball, about twenty of Ariana’s friends gathered at her apartment, decked for the holidays, for a private tasting of Chrome Horse Tequila, a forthcoming premium spirit created by her friend Jack Morgan.
‘Our families have been friends for generations,’ said Ariana, a 5th generation member of the Rockefeller family, about the Morgan family. Jack shared that he has been working on his tequila for two years. Pictured: Jack Morgan and Ariana Rockefeller.
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Prior to jetting up to the Bronx for the ball, about 20 of Ariana’s friends gathered at her new UES apartment, including Daily Mail’s Pandora Amoratis (pictured left). The heiress had two looks for the festive evening. At home she donned a custom silk dress by New York-based designer Christy Rilling. ‘It’s my Sugar Plum Fairy dress,’ said Ariana about the on-trend gown in ‘Very Peri’, Pantone’s 2022 color of the year. ‘I feel like it’s a very nurturing, beautiful and feminine color, and I love amethyst for its healing properties and good energy.’
Elvio Tropeano and Justin Waterman also looked dapper in tuxedos for the black-tie affair.
Lilah Rahmzi, an editor at Vogue wearing Carolina Herrera, and Zach Weiss looked smashing while enjoying some bubbly.
Before DJing the Winterland Wonderland Ball, May Kwok stopped by Ariana’s apartment in a PatBO gown.
Model Maki Mequanent donned an exquisite Christy Rilling design before leaving for the ball.
For her second look, the overall theme is princess elegance timeless fairytale,’ Ariana’s stylist, Paul, said. ‘This is the most glamorous event of the season so we wanted to make sure that she reflected that. We’re using tonight as a pillar of her elegance and grace.’ Her second dress was a custom pale pink gown handcrafted by Greek designer Vassilis Zoulias, known for dressing the stars of ‘Emily in Paris’.
Completing Ariana’s ensemble was a show-stopping, 37.47 carats necklace from De Beers, who sponsored the Ball, along with the Adonis Rose bracelet, also from De Beers.
Rockefeller paired the gown with Amina Muaddi Crystal Bow Glass pumps and a Judith Leiber Couture crystal-embellished Swan Odette clutch. ‘It’s all about shining the light,’ said Ariana, who has perfected that in more ways than one.
Georgina Bloomberg (pictured right of Ariana) is a co-chair of the Winter Wonderland Ball.
Source: Daily Mail
