What started as a friendly competition among neighbors has turned into one of the best holiday light shows in the Rochester area and it's all for a good cause. A homemade display in Henrietta is already a popular holiday stop.

"We saw it from a distance and we actually drove slow going in because it was such a nice sight driving into this one," said Brian Benedict

It almost seems hidden away. Holiday lights, yard decorations, carousal, and even a circle lit to music all in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Rob Flynn is the mastermind behind this show. He really likes Christmas.

"I think we're Christmas nuts," Flynn said. "I actually just started with a couple of strings on some bushes."

Flynn’s display of Christmas spirit caught on.

"Then it went from one neighbor to the next neighbor and we started to build higher, higher, and higher, throughout the years," said Flynn.

When cars started to drive through the cul-de-sac, “The Colony Lane Circle of Lights” was officially born.

"Hopefully the old shock and awe type thing," Flynn said. "When their coming up Colony Lane and we see the whole thing just lit up in lights it has quite an effect and it's the whole spirit of Christmas."

There are about 30,000 lights in this holiday display, and you don't have to be an electrician to know that's expensive. Flynn has been able to afford this holiday extravaganza by switching to LED lights.

"Before, when you had the regular mini lights and you were in your house you couldn't use the hair dryer, you couldn't use the toaster, you didn't dare turn the microwave on or you'd be blowing fuses left and right," said Flynn.

In addition to helping the environment, Flynn is also collecting donations for the Rush Henrietta food bank.

"We'd like to help 150 families this year," Flynn said. "We helped a hundred last year."

Well, his neighborhood tripled the amount of donations this year, allowing it to make 300 baskets to help area seniors, and families in need. In addition, 72 bags of food were collected.

Flynn said the main goal is to spread some holiday joy, and by the looks of things, it’s working.

“We come by almost every night for my grand kids to see the lights and they get excited every time they see them and so do I - I think it's beautiful," said Marykay Burdett of Henrietta.

The neighborhood is already starting to plan for next year's display.

Colony Lane Circle of Lights