Lucas Hutchins Begins Holiday Decorating in October

It started a few years ago in Orlando when a neighbor gave Lucas Hutchins a couple strands of lights. Now, the 20-year-old Hillsborough Community College student turns his home at into a Christmas carnival of flashing lights set to holiday music that he transmits on 95.5 FM.

Temple Terrace Patch readers voted the home, where Lucas lives with his parents Bob and Marquita Hutchins, as the community’s favorite in our series. The Hutchinses’ home received that were cast Dec. 16-20.

The family has bragging rights for the rest of the season and received some Patch pens and magnets, as well as 2012 calendars and coupons for peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes. The calendars and shakes are available for purchase at Chick-fil-A through early January or while supplies last.

Lucas has been decorating the house annually for the four years the family has lived there. He adds something new each year. Last year, it was the transmitted music. This year, it was inflatables on the roof and the snowflakes and ornaments projected onto the house.

“I want to be the odd house on the street,” said Lucas, who begins decorating in October.

He spends a lot of time on a tree in the center of the yard.

“The tree itself takes me two weeks to put together,” he said.

He also spends about three days choreographing the lights to each song.

And he’s already thinking about how to add more lights to make the display even bigger next year. Lucas said he’d like to cover the entire house in lights. And, with approval from the city’s , he said he’d also like to build arches along the sidewalk and wrap them with lights.

“Come back next year,” he said. “It’ll be even better.”

Lucas’ holiday lights show runs daily from 6 to 10 p.m. He is extending the hours to 5:30 to 11 p.m. beginning Friday and running through the New Year.