55,000 lights synced to music light up Tampa home

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A family in Tampa is celebrating 10 years of their favorite holiday tradition with their most spectacular home light show yet. 

Jim Carson lives at 11048 Streamside Drive. For the last 10 years, he's covered his home and yard in Christmas lights, which are synchronized to music played over radio frequency 88.3 FM.

This year, Jim went all out. He's upgraded to all LED lights - 55,000 of them. 

Jim says he has to use a quarter mile of extension cords to make it all connect, but his power bill is only about $40 more during December.

Jim says the neighbors have also joined in. There are so many homes with lights, by the time the 300 or so people who visit a night make it to his house, they've already seen some of the best light displays in the city. 

But still, none compare to Jim's. 

He says it takes at least a month to place, connect, and sync all of the lights. And that doesn't include his planning time. 

And for anyone who has a new toy to spare for a child in need, Jim set up a Toys for Tots donation box in his front drive.

Jim says he doesn't turn the lights on when it rains. But any clear night in December, anyone is welcome to drive through and see the show at 11048 Streamside Drive.

*A previous version of this story said Jim Carson's home is in St. Petersburg. Carson's home is in Tampa.