Gardens-A-Glow 2026 is the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ new name for its year-end festive celebration, and families get a hands-on role. About 250 trees around the Gardens will be decorated by individuals, families, schools and community groups between 14 and 29 November 2026. The trees then glow every night from 7pm to midnight between 5 December 2026 and 3 January 2027, neatly covering the school holidays that start on 21 November.
It builds on the Trees of the World tradition from previous years. Entry to the Gardens itself stays free, so the viewing part costs nothing.
Gardens-A-Glow 2026 dates at a glance
- Decorating period: 14 to 29 November 2026, in three-hour slots.
- Display period: 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with trees lit daily from 7pm to midnight.
- Dismantling: 4 to 6 January 2027, after which the trees are replanted in parks and green spaces around Singapore.
- Collecting your decorations: 6 to 10 January 2027 at the Tanglin Gate Visitor Services Counter, if you opted in at registration.
Besides the trees, NParks says there will be light installations, festive displays, exhibitions and activities across the Gardens. It has not published a full programme yet, so keep an eye on the official Gardens-A-Glow page.
How families can decorate a tree
There are two paid routes, both through a donation to the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and Institution of a Public Character:
- Decorate a Tree, for a donation of S$800 or more. You bring family, friends, colleagues or a community group to dress one tree.
- Adopt and Decorate a cluster of Trees, for S$10,000 or more. This includes an ornament-making workshop for up to 30 people.
After donating, you register through go.gov.sg/gardensaglow-reg. If S$800 is too steep, NParks says you can still register your interest without donating, and it will invite you to decorate a tree as spots become available. An NParks Telegram post had listed 30 October as the registration cut-off, so treat any new sign-up as a waitlist and do not promise the kids a tree just yet.
What you need to know on decorating day
The guidelines are quite specific, and a few points matter for parents:
- Arrive at the start of your slot and register at one of five Visitor Services Counters: Nassim, Tanglin, Tyersall, Gallop Extension or Bukit Timah Gate.
- Trees are about 2 to 3 metres tall, and NParks provides rope lights. There is no power supply for your own lights.
- Decorations must be weatherproof, lightweight, stay within 1 metre of the tree and must not collect rainwater.
- No food or edible decorations, as they attract wildlife. No nails, staples, spray paint or anything pushed into the soil.
- Some trees are a long walk from the gates, so bring a trolley. Ladders can be requested, but one person must hold it at all times.
NParks also suggests comfortable shoes, a water bottle, insect repellent, a cap and an umbrella. Outdoor sessions can be cancelled for thunderstorms, so have a plan B for the afternoon. If you cannot make your slot, email [email protected] at least three days ahead.
Making it a school holiday project
Honestly, this is the best part for families with primary school kids. NParks encourages reusable, recycled or upcycled materials, which turns the first week of the holidays into a craft project with a deadline. Think bottle-cap stars, old CDs or fabric offcuts, as long as they survive a few weeks of rain.
There are a couple of rules worth explaining to children early. Decorations cannot carry religious, political or promotional content, and logos are capped at C6 size (11.4cm by 16.2cm). Anything loose or damaged may be removed by NParks during the display period.
Visiting the glowing trees
The Gardens are open daily from 5am to midnight with free entry; only the National Orchid Garden charges admission. The nearest MRT stations are Botanic Gardens on the Circle and Downtown lines, and Napier on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Since the trees are lit from 7pm, an after-dinner stroll is the most comfortable way to see them with small kids.
If you are building a December calendar, the Christmas Train Show at Gardens by the Bay runs from 20 November, and our list of Christmas 2026 family dates has the rest. For green-fingered families, Gardeners’ Day Out at HortPark on 21 November is a good warm-up.
