McLaurin Farms 6th annual Christmas Lights Hayride opens Thanksgiving Day

Many people think of Christmas as presents, Santa Claus and get-togethers with family, friends or co-workers. For some, however, Christmas means only one thing – decorative lights

Not to be outdone by Santa Claus, the Grinch will also be on the midway.

Mclaurin Farms in Greensboro has become one of the area’s top holiday attractions, even if it is not the dazzling “light-zilla” display where several houses in a neighborhood attempt to out-do each other to see how many lights they can put on their house and yard.

People tend to think of McLaurin Farms not for heart-warming Christmas lights but as heart-attack spookiness in the 28-year-old Woods of Terror. Owner Eddie McLaurin wanted to do something different for Christmas.

“I wanted to do something for the Christmas holidays and something for the kids,” McLaurin said. “Woods of Terror is not for kids.”

His Christmas event was almost a Krampus Christmas, which would have been another scary event. According to Wikipedia, “in Central European folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as half-goat, half-demon, who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved.”

“Then I thought, no, I wanted to do a traditional Mary and Jesus Christmas. The Christmas lights,” McLaurin said.

Kids can ride the barrel train at the midway.

The Grinch will make an appearance, however, so there is still a bit of scariness to the event.

McLaurin met with Christmas show planner David Masters about six years ago. The first year Masters helped, the event drew approximately 2,000 people and has grown to over 12,000.

“We have between 600-800 trees wrapped in over 800,000 lights,” McLaurin said. “We put lights on everything. It’s the only professional Christmas light display presented in the Greensboro area. Each year it grows.”

One area evokes the Land of Misfit Toys from the classic 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” television cartoon, including Rudolph, Hermey, Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snowman.

Santa Claus will be in the midway nightly at 6:30 p.m. Have a professional photo taken with him or feel free to take a cell phone shot.

The midway area includes a place to write and mail letters to Santa, ornament making and concessions with donuts, s’mores, hot chocolate and apple cider.

Other touches help get visitors into the Christmas spirit.

“We’re going to have real snow,” McLaurin said. “It’s going to snow every night. We’ll make sure that happens.”

McLaurin Farms 6^th annual Christmas Lights Hayride opens Thanksgiving Day and is open Thursday-Sunday from 6-9 p.m. through Dec. 29, with two special showings Dec. 23 and 24. It is closed Christmas Day.

The ticket office is open 6-8 p.m. Admission is $8 per person ($5 on Thursdays) and ages 2 and under are free. Parking is $2. The hayride is included in the admission price but customers are urged to make a reservation for $2 extra per person if they want to ride at a specific time. Reservations can be made at 336-643-3558. Eight hay wagons ensure everyone gets to ride but McLaurin advises placing a reservation.

For more information, visit https://mclaurinfarms.com/winter/ or visit McLaurin’s Facebook page.

McLaurin Farms Christmas Lights is located at 5596 N. Church St. in Greensboro on the current owner’s great-grandfathers farm.

Story By Carol Brooks

PHOTOS courtesy McLaurin Farms