Bob Rundle (left) and Bob Rundle Sr. (center) stand in front of their family’s tree following the New York Stock Exchange’s 102nd holiday lighting. (Supplied)

Bob Rundle is a lifelong Peekskill resident, born and raised in the city where his family has lived for generations. “We’ve been in Peekskill all my life,” Rundle said. “My parents grew up here. My grandparents grew up here. It’s home.” That deep connection to the city makes it all the more meaningful that a tree from his family’s yard has taken center stage outside the New York Stock Exchange for the 102nd annual Christmas tree display. 

The tree, a 75-foot Norwegian spruce, comes from Rundle’s home on Lindbergh Avenue, a property that has been in his family for nearly a century. 

The spruce was planted roughly 45 years ago by Rundle’s father, Bob Rundle Sr., who had received it as a sapling from his in-laws’ property upstate. He planted it in the middle of their yard, ensuring it had the space, sunlight and water needed to grow. 

Over the years, the tree became a staple of the holiday season for residents on Lindbergh Avenue. “Every year, my dad would cover the tree in lights so everyone could come by and enjoy it,” Rundle recalled. “He would always trim it and light it up for the neighborhood until it got too big to manage.” 

The tree’s journey to the Stock Exchange began unexpectedly this past August, when Rundle’s wife was giving away dresses through a local Facebook group. The woman who came to pick them up noticed the tree and mentioned that her husband’s friend worked with New York City to source Christmas trees. 

“The next day, he was in our backyard looking at the tree,” Rundle told the Peekskill Herald. “The moment he saw it, he said, ‘There’s a 99% chance we’re going to use this tree.’ He immediately knew it was the one.”  By late August, a contract was signed, and the tree was cut down just before Thanksgiving. 

Just before Thanksgiving, a crane removed the Rundle family’s tree from their backyard for the trip to Wall Street. (Supplied)

“It was bittersweet watching it come down,” Rundle admitted. “We knew it had to be removed eventually, but to know it was going to such a special place made it feel pretty surreal.” A crane lifted the spruce onto a truck wrapped with signage commemorating the 102nd tree lighting. Neighbors stepped outside to watch the process unfold, sharing coffee and donuts as they said goodbye to a tree that had been a part of the neighborhood for decades. Rundle described the moment as a “tree-cutting party.” 

The cutting and removal of the tree was documented by the New York Stock Exchange on its official Instagram account, where videos of the process were shared as part of the holiday display’s lead-up. 

On Dec. 4, Rundle and his family attended the lighting ceremony on an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan. The event included live music, holiday performances, festive treats, and the official lighting of the tree. “It was like a mini Rockefeller Center,” Rundle said. The family was also invited to witness the Wall Street Closing Bell, a symbolic ringing of the bell signifying the end of the trading day. 

“It’s a cool way to represent our community,” Rundle said. “Not many people get to say their family tree was at the New York Stock Exchange. It’s an experience my family and I will never forget.” 

Standing 75-feet tall and covered in more than 50,000 lights, the Norwegian spruce will remain on display at 11 Wall Street, New York, NY, through mid-January, continuing to spread Peekskill pride and holiday cheer. 

The 75-foot Norwegian spruce in the Rundle family’s backyard before being selected for the New York Stock Exchange’s 102nd annual holiday tree. (Supplied)