STATESBORO, Ga — A beloved Christmas lights display in Bulloch County, a festive tradition for nearly 25 years, has come to an end.

Since 2000, TMT Farms near Statesboro has been a beacon of holiday spirit, stretching across almost two miles with dazzling decorations. However, the farm recently announced that Saturday marked the end of not just the season but the entire attraction.

Ray Malone, the farm’s manager, shared that the decision was far from easy.

“It was a very hard decision,” Malone expressed. “It was not a spur of the moment decision. This means a lot to the Thompsons. It really does.”

The TMT Farms family explained in their December 23 announcement that several factors influenced their decision, including the passing of the family matriarch in July, her widower’s recent stroke, and the escalating costs involved in maintaining the display.

The display never included a cost. Over the years, the family just asked for attendees to bring nonperishable food items, new toys, pet food or to make a monetary donation. Everything collected was poured back into the Statesboro and Bulloch County communities.

In 2022, donations gathered during the display season totaled over 112,000 pounds.

Malone told the 2025 season has been a good one for donations.

“Don’t have a real good figure right now but I can tell you the last week, two weeks, we have had a tremendous turnout,” he said. We’ve collected a lot of food, monetary, pet food has been really good this year and also has toys. We have done good. A lot of people are going to benefit from it.”

On hand and helping on the last night of operation were members of the Bulloch County Fire Department. Fire Chief Ben Tapley tells that helping out has become a yearly tradition.

“Some of our volunteers from Clito said they started what they remember in 2008 so somebody from Clito or Bulloch County Fire Department has been out here almost every year,” Tapley said. “I think the years of commitment by the Thompson McCranie Thompson family has been extraordinary. We’re just proud to be just a tiny part of that.”

The future is unclear but Malone thinks there is a possibility for more community drives led by the Thompson/TMT Farms family.

“We have talked about doing something [else] but it has been decided that the Christmas lights, probably this is it,” Malone said. “But if the Thompsons can help people, that’s the way they’ve always been. They rather help someone else and they do without — that’s just kind of people they are.”