‘Millions of lights’: Months of prep work for annual Christmas show

DUBLIN, NC (WWAY) — It’s hard to believe the holidays are not that far away but one Bladen County business is already gearing up for their annual light show.

Yes, it’s still October. For Ron Taylor though, his Christmas tradition takes months of preparations.

“We have two miles of trail through the woods and around the vineyard where we have lights decorated and large ornaments set up,” Lu Mil Vineyard and Winery owner Ron Taylor said.

To make the holiday deadline, work actually began back in September. The number of lights? Well, let’s just say countless!

“It’s hard to keep up with them,” Taylor said. “There probably a couple million lights out here.”

What is now Lu Mil Vineyard and Winery is where Taylor grew up. He ran around these same fields that he has worked to preserve for future generations. The Christmas light show is just one way he’s doing that.

“It’s pretty much an all year thing because it takes a couple months to put them up, a couple months to put them down and then the rest of the year we are planning for the next season and looking for new decorations.”

The drive thru festival of lights, candy store, country buffet, and even a visit from old Saint Nick himself will fill his family’s land during the holidays.

“I really think my parents would be overjoyed if they saw this. it’s a rewarding experience to me to keep it going because like I said mom was always cooking for everyone in the community.”

Taylor opens up his home each year to be a place where families can enjoy fellowship and share the Christmas spirit.

The light show starts Thanksgiving weekend and lasts through December 23.

Taylor suggests coming early because the lines get pretty long the closer we get to Christmas.