Winter lights aglow at Red Apple Farm in Phillipston

Dorothy whirled through a tornado to get to Oz. Alice fell down a rabbit hole to get to Wonderland. Those were magical adventures. Well, Gerry and I had a magical Christmas adventure, and we just had to drive a few miles in our car to get there. It was to the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston to see the Winter Lights.

The Red Apple Farm is a popular New England destination enjoyed by all ages — acres of pink blossoms to delight the eye in the spring, a wide variety of apples ripe for picking in the summer, the beautiful sunflower festival and harvesting of pumpkins in the fall. Then the farm rested in the winter ... until this year.

Now the orchard is ablaze with Christmas lights of all colors, about 100,000 of them. Some climb the tall trees and reflect in the pond, which magnifies the colors. The dormant apple trees have come back to life with color, the pumpkin patch has huge orange bulbs to reflect what grows there, and creative light designs form sunflowers to show their territory. The farm tractor is brightly adorned with red and white lights, the decorated Red Apple Farm truck is also a part of the show, and Santa is there to welcome everyone. 

Christmas music fills the air, and as we strolled through the orchard’s paths absorbing the wondrous beauty, we felt like we were in a farm fairyland.

We ended the evening with a stop at the farm’s superb country store which makes my favorite cider donuts and the best fudge ever (our son said to be sure to bring some home for him).

The lights go on every night from 4 to 9 p.m. until the end of the month, so if you want a magical Christmas experience, journey to Phillipston ... in your car.

Carole Gariepy lives in Phillipston.