The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a holiday tradition dating back to 1933, when the Radio City Music Hall put on live performances as well as showings of popular Hollywood movies. Since then, the show has undergone significant changes; the movie portion has been dropped and the stage show has expanded from a 30-minute side show to a 90-minute song and dance spectacular (as the current name suggests). Perhaps the most famous aspect of today’s event is the Rockettes, a women’s dance troupe whose best-known act is a high-kicking chorus line.

Several recordings have been produced in recent years, including multiple audio recordings and a video (DVD) recording of the 75th anniversary show in 2008. In the same year, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Arena Tour was launched, visiting 18 cities across North America. In 2009, the tour expanded to include 31 different cities, marking a major milestone in the show’s 77-year history.