London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jan 01, 2026

Sir Elton John and family step into Christmas as they surprise onlookers in NYC

Sir Elton John and family step into Christmas as they surprise onlookers in NYC

Sir Elton John and husband David Furnish were joined by their two boys as they surprised New Yorkers by unveiling Saks Fifth Avenue’s Christmas display.

Following a million-dollar donation by the department store to the rockstar’s Aids Foundation’s Rocket Fund, Sir Elton decided to show his gratitude and serenade members of the public who had turned up to watch the famous big reveal.

Stopping traffic on 49th Street, a grand piano was rolled into the middle of Fifth Avenue as the hall-of-famer prepared to take his seat.

Following some quick words from Saks CEO Marc J Metrick, the megastar took time to share his feelings with the crowd: ‘It means a great deal to me to have your support.

‘Thank you so much. I’m so thrilled to kick off the holiday season tonight and to be a part of this spectacular and iconic window unveiling and light show.’

Nodding an all clear, the singer’s husband then ushered their children Zachary, 11, and Elijah, nine, onto the stage to join in the festive celebrations.

Sir Elton John serenaded NYC citizens with the help of his family

The star pitched up in an extravagant golf cart to his waiting piano

A full family affair, the foursome counted down to their loved one’s big performance of his Billboard Hot 100 single Your Song.

After his performance was met with an enormous round of applause, the veteran performer joined the rest of his family in a seated section of the crowd to watch the lights show put on by the iconic shop.

The festive season extravaganza included an homage to the Tiny Dancer singer as it displayed rocket ships that projected on the side of the building’s façade.

The famous couple kept it in the family and counted down to the reveal with their two sons

Sir Elton was supported by his husband for the occasion and the pair watched on after the performance


Accompanying the fantastical showcase was a melody of Sir Elton’s hits that had the man himself bobbing along as he got into the spirit of things.

The light display was upstaged by a later explosion of fireworks that danced across the New York sky to the tune of Your Song, this time a pre-recorded version.

A full-circle moment, the song was influential in the artist’s early career and saved him from a lifetime of struggle – a fact that was shared in the star’s memoir Me.

Fifty years later, the icon watched on as it acted as an anthem for one of the world’s most iconic seasonal events that shut down roads in the middle of New York City.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
×