This holiday season, New York City’s Midtown streets are aglow once again. After a year’s hiatus, Saks Fifth Avenue has revived its renowned Holiday Light Show. The display flickered off in 2024 as the retailer re-examined its seasonal traditions but comes roaring back this year, promising a fresh and dazzling spectacle, starting November 24 and running nightly through early January.
The theme for 2025 is “Holiday Your Way,” a nod to personal expression, style and the many ways people celebrate the season. Saks Global describes the season’s campaign as more than retail; it is an immersive, emotional experience designed to let each visitor feel the holiday on their own terms.
The show itself transforms the iconic flagship façade on Fifth Avenue into a shimmering canvas of color and light. Thousands of synchronized LED lights dart, sparkle and cascade in time with a curated medley of music. Expect upbeat festive tunes like Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime,” and a climactic finale set to “New York Groove,” timed to fireworks and grand visual flourishes.
Central to this year’s revival: oversized, jewel-like ornaments, some climbing nearly two stories tall, prismatic two way mirror effects, and rich kinetic lighting that gives the building a vivid, otherworldly glow. The display resets every few minutes from early evening until about 11 p.m., offering free viewing to anyone strolling Fifth Avenue.
Under the lights, Saks has rolled out its legendary holiday window displays. Six main windows along Fifth Avenue transport visitors into festive New York vignettes: expect scenes like a cozy bakery brimming with sweets, a taxibulging with gifts symbolizing “Traveling Home,” a snowy outing in Central Park, a starry theater night scene, and an elegant “Advent Townhouse.”
There is a special celebration of dance and history this year. To honor the 100th anniversary of The Rockettes, some of the windows pay homage to the troupe’s legendary costumes and archival sketches, a nostalgic tribute in red and sparkle.
