BILLY SHIELDS: This house sits on a pretty strategic corner in Walton Park, the corner where the Tacky Light Run makes a swerve at the juncture of Glenshade Drive and Glenpark Lane.

Good thing too, because Tyler Colbert is ready.

TYLER COLBERT: We started doing it, you know, about ten years ago, and then, kind of grown it from there a little bit at a time.

BILLY DHIELDS: A little bit at a time grew into thousands of dollars Colbert reckons he's spent on these decorations.

TYLER COLBERT: Things are always breaking and, especially lights, and being out here in the cold for a whole month things tend to break, so you're always having to replace stuff.

BILLY SHIELDS: The good news is, he says his power bill isn't too bad and his eight-year-old daughter also loves it.

During the Tacky Light Run, she's busy greeting the 5,000 joggers that go by their house.

KIERSTYN COLBERT: I hand out little mints and candy canes.

BILLY SHIELDS: Tacky lights have been the centerpiece of holiday activities in Central Virginia for years.

In Chesterfield, the Tacky Light Run has expanded into a few different programs the county is using to spur tourism.

LIZ HART: And it's like as soon as Thanksgiving was over, people got into holiday mode.

BILLY SHIELDS: A number of restaurants and hotels like this one went all out with decorations this year as part of the program.

Other businesses are offering Christmas tree lots, pictures with Santa and going overboard with the holiday cheer.

LAUREN BARBARO: We really wanted to take it over the top and just be like, basically like Christmas threw up.

And that's basically the best way we can explain it.

BILLY SHIELDS: The county is getting a $10,000 matching grant this year from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, aimed at supporting what it calls the Glow Big or Glow Home program.

Meanwhile, on a conspicuous street corner, the Colbert family routinely has its hands full with joggers.

TYLER COLBERT: I've always loved Christmas, it's is my favorite holiday.

its always been my favorite holiday.

And then it's the only time of the year where you can really just kind of deck out your house outside without neighbors really caring or being mad at you, so.

BILLY SHIELDS: Colbert's been in the habit of glowing big, long before there was a county program for it.

Billy Shields, VPM News.