Saks Fifth Avenue’s beloved holiday light show at its flagship store returned this week one year after it abruptly scrapped the free display to cut costs.
The larger-than-life exhibit, now in its 21st year, lit up Fifth Avenue Monday for the first time since 2023 with dozens of glittering ornaments soaring up to two stories high, all to the tune of a holiday medley featuring Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds.”
The nighttime kickoff event also included a special kick line performance from the Radio City Rockettes — each donning “Saks”-bedazzled hairpieces — featuring selections from their classic “Christmas Spectacular” show.
“The return of our holiday light show honors Saks Fifth Avenue’s legacy as a destination for extraordinary experiences that inspire connection,” Kristin Maa, Saks Global’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
“Our team is proud to bring this moment to life through imagination, innovation and craft—and to continue this cherished tradition that has long blended our unique creative essence with the merriment of the New York City holiday season,” Maa added.
The light show will commence at Saks every 10 minutes from 5 to 11 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026.
The kickoff event also unveiled the Saks’ annual holiday windows, this year spotlighting iconic moments throughout the Rockettes’ 100-year history via displays on 49th Street.
The iconic windows include some of the Rockettes’ most famous costumes over the decades, as well as original sketches by legendary designers Vincente Minnelli and Bob Mackie, as well as designs from iconic numbers like “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” “12 Days of Christmas” and “Dance of the Frost Fairies.”
Six windows overlooking Fifth Avenue will showcase New York City holiday scenes ranging from an overflowing taxi brimming with gifts, an evening theater outing, a snowy Central Park landscape with rowboats and an “Advent Townhouse” featuring classic New York City architecture.
Additional windows along 49th and 50th streets feature seasonal designs from the likes of Michael Kors, Fendi, Valentino, Aknvas, Prabal Gurung, Brandon Maxwell, Giorgio Armani, Alexander McQueen and more.
A spokesperson for Saks did not respond to a request for comment about why the decision was made to bring back the show after last year’s cancellation.
The 2024 decision to scrap the yuletide celebration, which has been held since 2004, was slammed by “very disappointed” tourists.
At the time, a Saks rep said the chain “acknowledged that it has been a challenging year for luxury, and, like others, we are carefully managing our business to ensure the company is best-positioned for the future.”
