Holiday Light Displays Around the Country

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - During the holidays, many homeowners simply hang white lights outside their homes. Then there are the people who go above and beyond.

Take for instance one man in California who posted a video of his holiday-light-show-turned-rock-show called "Christmas Light Hero." The Christian Science Monitor reported that Ric Turner of Burbank turned his garage and entire front yard into a Christmas-themed, interactive Guitar Hero-style experience. The display features Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" guitar instrumental, and the video has become has become a viral sensation (watch below). Turner posted a summary of what he did on the do-it-yourself Web site MAKE .

But others have skipped the hard work and turned to professionals to get the perfect light display.

"It's a growing business," Chris Waugh of New York Landscape Lighting told amNY.com . He and his crew work nonstop from mid-October into December decorating houses for the holidays. They deck out about 80 homes in the Westchester, N.Y., area each year, and maintain them throughout the season, reported the newspaper.

This year more people are using LED holiday lights to decorate, even leading to a shortage of the bulbs in the Chicago-area . According to Fox News , the Home Depot said that LED holiday lights have been a "huge trend." LED lights last longer than conventional bulbs and emit virtually no heat. They also use 80 percent less energy, which allows consumers to connect more strands to a single outlet -- in some cases up to nearly a quarter of a mile for those feeling extra festive.

And every year, safety is a big issue with holiday light displays.  MyFox Atlanta posted some tips for dealing with your holiday decorations:
• Do not use indoor lights outdoors
• Be careful about overloading extension cords
• Be careful with light cords
• Inspect your decorations every year for damage

To see some of the most dazzling holiday light displays this year, flip through our photo gallery above to see a sampling of images from around the country, submitted by MyFox users.