One of the largest displays of Christmas lights and decorations in Indian River County is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “It`s a tradition,” Barwick said. “There`s just something magical about Christmas and Christmas lights.” “There`s so much to see,” Barwick said. “It might be a short drive if you`re the only person here, but you could also get a little support if a lot of people enjoy the lights.” On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the switch is flipped and nearly 500,000 miniature lights come alive on the field. More than 30 life-size characters decorate the office and grounds, and the Grall team spends countless hours preparing and installing. The site is open to the public and it is not uncommon for thousands of people to pass through it in one evening. From 1990 to 2011, the interior of the building was decorated annually by Bernie Grall and his wife Marge. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people from our community participated in a Christmas masterpiece. Her father built the company in 1989 and designed it as a big fan of “Gone with the Wind” and named it after Tara Plantation. A local group who used to build a Christmas house asked if they could move the exhibition to the Gralls` new property. “It`s a cool experience to get out and see the lights,” Barwick said, “but with the glasses, it makes things so much cooler.” The Gralls don`t use a hired crew to install the lights, Barwick said. Instead, Bernie and Marge Grall enlist the help of their eight children and 18 grandchildren — and another along the way — to settle them in about two weeks before opening.

The glasses use holographic lenses to transform the lights into different characters such as snowmen, gingerbread men and reindeer. They work on all lights, including Christmas lights at home and daily traffic lights, but they should not be worn while driving. Tara`s lights will stay on until New Year`s Eve. You can see the sunset lights at 10pm from Sunday to Thursday and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Christmas in Tara, a free drive-thru experience, features about 500,000 miniature lights and 90 minifigures on the lawn of the Grall Law Group property, 7555 20th St., west of Vero Beach, said Heather Grall Barwick. It operates from 17:30 to 22:00. Sunday-Thursday and 17:30-23 on Fridays and Saturdays. About five years ago, the family began handing out HoloSpex 3D glasses at special parties after learning about them during a streetcar tour in St. Augustine. And every night, every year, the Grall family is there, greeting people and guiding drivers.

In the photo above, the Grall family continues to grow. We have added seven members since this photo was taken. Everyone launches in their own way to help Tara at Christmas. ABOVE: Tara Plantation sparkles every year from Sunday after Thanksgiving to New Year`s Eve. RIGHT: Santa Claus himself, Bernie Grall. Bernie`s love for Christmas is evident in his warm smile and friendly demeanor. “For my mom and dad, it`s their way of giving back to the community.” This year, Barwick has ordered 3,500 glasses for Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. “It never felt like a burden,” Barwick said.

“Looking back, as an adult, I don`t remember my parents ever complaining about it. For 22 years, the Grall family decorated the interior of the building with 15 Christmas trees, 300 pieces of snow village and trains that ran between the rooms. “It`s been a family labor of love for 30 years,” Barwick said. “My father and mother are definitely leading the way.” They keep the same numbers but add something new every year, she said. They also change the layout every year to mix it up for regulars. It started small, only the interior of the building was decorated, but Bernie Grall decided to strengthen it the following year. He added a few pieces in the courtyard: a nativity scene, Santa`s sleigh, and reindeer. Bernie and Marge Grall are always looking for interesting new pieces to include in the exhibition every year. LEFT: This is a toy soldier from one of Grall`s most popular Christmas stores, Marge`s Specialties.

ABOVE: Santa Claus and his reindeer date from 1990 and are among the original pieces in the outdoor exhibition. Bernie Grall takes care of the decorations year-round, Barwick said. It has a rotation of what needs to be sanded and repainted. Barwick, now 40, remembers that at the age of 10, her parents, Bernie and Marge Grall, started the family tradition. The family partners with the United Way of Indian River County one night a year to raise funds. This year, it`s Wednesday night. Laurie K. Blandford is the entertainment journalist and TCPalm columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast.

Follow her on Twitter at @TCPalmLaurie or Facebook at faceboook.com/TCPalmLaurie. In the meantime, the exhibition has expanded externally and become a community tradition. Christmas in Tara always starts on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and ends on New Year`s Eve. More: Jensen Beach Villa gets its sparkle in the evening for Christmas, the holiday season “It was amazing,” Barwick said. I`ve always felt like a special place – a magical place – to grow up. The journey is about a quarter mile around a lake in front of the building, and the time depends on the number of vehicles in line. Barwick advised people to stay in their vehicles and suggested driving more than once. More: Christmas at Tara Plantation is an annual Christmas spirit tradition.