when does the rockefeller tree come down 2026

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for the 2025–2026 season is expected to come down in mid-January 2026 , after the lights go dark for the season.

Quick Scoop

• The 2025–2026 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

• The tree is lit daily from 5 a.m. to midnight through the holiday season, with special hours on Christmas Eve (24 hours) and New Year’s Eve (until 9 p.m.).

• Guides for this season state the tree will stay on display through mid-January 2026 , at which point it is taken down and the wood is donated to Habitat for Humanity.

So, what does “mid-January 2026” mean?

Official sources and NYC guides do not list a precise take-down day yet for 2026, only that:

• The tree “goes dark for the season in mid-January.”

• It “will remain on display through mid-January 2026 before being milled into lumber.”

In past years, removal has typically fallen around the second week of January , but exact dates can shift based on scheduling and logistics.

Practical advice if you’re planning a visit

• To be safe, plan to see the tree on or before about January 10–12, 2026 , since that aligns with the usual “mid-January” window.

• If you need an exact final day closer to the time, check:
  • Rockefeller Center’s official site and event calendar.

* Local NYC event/guide sites, which often update with the specific last-lit date once it is confirmed.

In forum-style discussions, New Yorkers usually tell visitors: “Count on the tree being up and lit until mid-January , but don’t cut it too close if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.