Photo by Ringo Chiu via Shutterstock
Los Angeles is getting an early taste of Christmas as Citadel Outlets prepares to welcome back its 115-foot fresh-cut Christmas tree. The towering white fir is making its way from Mount Shasta to Commerce, where Santa Claus will oversee its grand arrival today, October 19th.
The tree’s arrival is scheduled for early Monday morning at 6 a.m., so visitors hoping to catch the spectacle should plan accordingly.
The annual holiday tradition brings one of Southern California’s most impressive Christmas displays to the shopping center with the enormous tree set to become the centerpiece of the festive season.
Once it reaches Center Court, crews will spend the following two weeks decorating the giant evergreen with more than 18,000 lights and 10,000 ornaments and bows.
Here’s what to know about the tree’s arrival and Citadel Outlets’ upcoming holiday celebrations.
Citadel Outlets’ famous Christmas tree is no ordinary evergreen. Standing 115 feet tall, the white fir is sourced from the Mount Shasta region of Northern California and transported south on a flatbed truck for a three-day journey to Commerce.
The tree was hand-selected by Victor Serrao, owner of Victor’s Christmas Trees, a Southern California family business with more than 50 years of experience sourcing oversized Christmas trees. The company specializes in trees measuring more than 40 feet tall.
Before setting off on its journey, the fir’s extra-wide branches were carefully trimmed to help with transportation. Once the tree arrives at Citadel Outlets, crews will begin the painstaking process of preparing it for its holiday debut.
More than 1,000 branches will be added to perfect its shape before the tree is decorated with thousands of lights, ornaments, and bows. A fire-retardant coating will also be applied as part of the preparation process.
Just how big is the world’s tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree?
At 115 feet tall, the tree is an imposing sight even before the decorations go up. To put its height into perspective, Citadel Outlets shared a few comparisons:
10 feet taller than seven double-decker buses stacked together.
25 feet taller than the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel.
35 feet taller than the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
38 feet taller than Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
70 feet taller than the Hollywood Sign.
The tree’s arrival marks the beginning of a joyful holiday season filled with festive decorations, photo opportunities, and seasonal entertainment throughout the shopping center.
When is the Citadel Outlets Christmas tree lighting?
The tree’s arrival is just the beginning. After approximately two weeks of decorating, Citadel Outlets will host its annual Tree Lighting Concert Celebration on November 7, 2026, starting at 5 p.m.
The event will officially kick off the holiday season, with the towering tree taking center stage at the Commerce shopping destination.
For more information about the upcoming holiday festivities, visit the official Citadel Outlets website.