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The iconic Saks holiday light show has officially been canceled after 20 years

The company announced that it will instead focus on the "architectural significance" of the Fifth Avenue building.

Anna Rahmanan
Written by
Anna Rahmanan
Senior National News Editor
Saks Fifth Avenue Dior Carousel facade decoration
Photograph: Paul Vu
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One of the most recognizable holiday-time spectacles is no more: Saks just announced that its legendary light show on the building's facade at 611 Fifth Avenue has been canceled indefinitely. The timing of the decision is pretty interesting as well: the company celebrates its centennial this year.

"For some time we have contemplated changing our approach," a company spokesperson said to NBC New York earlier today. "We will not be doing a light show this year, as we've changed our approach to the holiday windows." 

According to the outlet, Saks will still celebrate the holidays, albeit focusing on the "architectural significance" of the building and address it has called home for the past century.

"In our 100th year, which also marks the anniversary of the flagship, we are celebrating the season by honoring the architectural significance of this iconic building, elegantly illuminating the façade and framing the holiday windows, as well as highlighting the fashion for which Saks Fifth Avenue is known," the spokesperson also said.

You can expect the structure to be illuminated starting this month, with "magical jingles" playing as the holidays approach.

According to a press release that went live last month, the holiday windows "will showcase outstanding pieces from the top names in luxury set against colorful snowflake fragments, dichroic vinyl and silver harlequin flooring."

As exciting as the new approach sounds, the celebration will very obviously lack the light show that many locals and tourists have come to associate with this time of the year in the city.

Luckily, there are still plenty of great holiday things to do in NYC so you can make sure your season is still as magical as ever, even without the famous show.

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