How one family’s Christmas lights in Fort Valley brighten the holidays for all

Between pecan orchards, a few houses and farm land in Fort Valley, an inflatable Grinch— more than half the size of the flagpole beside it— stands next to an equally large inflatable Santa Claus.

They’re just two of more than 100 inflatable figures that make up the Silobrate Christmas Lights, a drive-thru Winter Wonderland, free of charge, contained in Melissa Taylor’s front yard on 10087 GA Hwy 42. It also raises money for the Ronald McDonald House in Macon, a cause that’s personal to her.

Her son, Matthew, 17, was born with a congenital heart defect and spent time at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where he underwent two open-heart surgeries before he was a year old. While undergoing treatment, the Taylors stayed at the Ronald McDonald House next to the hospital.

Her family moved to Fort Valley in 2016 and set up Christmas decorations for their first “Sip and See Santa at the Silos,” a holiday party for family and friends.

Over the years, Melissa Taylor said people would stop and ask to get a closer look at her Christmas light display. It inspired her to open her yard and create Silobrate Christmas Lights in 2020, aimed toward local families to experience a fun holiday experience without having to drive to other parts of Middle Georgia.

“We are in a rural area. How many people are going to drive their kids to Warner Robins or whatever?” she said.

When Melissa Taylor opened her home to the community, people often tried to offer to pay to show their appreciation. It sparked the idea last year to use the drive-thru to incorporate her work with the Ronald McDonald House and create an optional donation area for those passing through, according to Melissa Taylor.

Making the magic happen

Set up for the Silobrate Christmas Lights begins the first weekend of November, taking multiple weekends to complete. Once everything is up, the operation runs itself. The lights and inflatables stay plugged in all the time, unless there is inclement weather. All the Taylors have to do is open their gates at 5:30 p.m. every day.

Melissa Taylor told The Telegraph that it doesn’t take a lot to convince her to set it up again and again.

“Last night, I was on my front porch and I opened the door and I could hear kids. They had the windows down (in their car) and the kids were ooh-ing and aah-ing,” she said. “That’s what we talk about, that’s all it takes.”

Although Melissa Taylor is at the head of the operation, she said her family plays a supporting role in making the Silobrate Christmas Lights happen every year.

Melissa Taylor specifically credits her husband, Terrell Taylor, for encouraging her to do it every year. Even her teenage sons play a role. Her son Jonathan, 14, occasionally dresses up as the Grinch to wave at passing cars in line.

“Sometimes we’ll come up and sit over to the side where they don’t really notice us and just watch,” Terrell Taylor said. “It’s pretty cool… Kids hanging out the windows, hanging out the tops.”

What’s on display?

The Silobrate Christmas Lights are hard to miss from the road, especially at night. A sea of bright lights stands out from the rural landscape, directing and directs drivers to the entrance gate. Most people drive through the entire yard in a couple of minutes, but those who are more detail-oriented can find something they didn’t see before if they choose to loop around. Melissa Taylor told The Telegraph that they “probably ride through about four or five times.”

The first half of the drive features primarily light-up decorations, including angels, trees, presents and large letters that spell “PEACE.” The lights are placed around multiple silos on the Taylors’ property, which Taylor renovated into tiny homes for friends and family.

The second half spotlights the more than 100 Christmas inflatables, which vary widely in size and design. An elf on a 12-foot dinosaur, Santa Claus riding a mechanical bull and an inflatable llama all sit less than a foot away from one another.

The Silobrate Christmas Lights are located at 10087 GA Hwy 42, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030. They are open every day of December through New Year’s Eve. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

This story was originally published December 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM.