Tree at Rockefeller Center 2010

Headed to the studio for set up today. It was brutally cold and yet everyone around Rockefeller Center seemed cheery. The tree is absolutely beautiful this year!  Last year’s tree seemed like a true recession  tree- a little skimpy and  a dose of sad. This tree is robust and just looks happy and hopeful. A good sign. Even though I’ve lived here for so long–it never fails to make me feel like I’m a little kid again.

My usual routine is walk around Saks and then get a cup of coffee.  Saks is all decked out and it was so crowded today–it’s hard to believe that the economy is not humming. You wouldn’t know it from the volume of people not only looking but walking out with shopping bags. Coffee was replaced today by hot chocolate (hey, it was really cold outside).

The studio was overflowing with products for all of the different holiday segments planned for the morning. I ran into Robyn Spizman who is doing a fun gift segment. Robyn was one of the first journalists to cover the toyportfolio when we started so it was particularly fun to see her and meet her daughter.

I have so many toys tomorrow– the idea is to show how many great choices there are without breaking the bank. We are scheduled to have lots of kids there to play.

The plaza on a cold day!

It really is amazing to watch the staff there transform a bunch of boxes, and products into the segments that are aired every morning.  Everyone works with good humor and it’s as if sugar plum fairies come in and make it all look so perfect when we go on.

After set up...the Rockefeller Christmas Tree!