Popular Plano Christmas Lights Scene Creator Comes Out Of 'Retirement' For Neighbors During Pandemic
PLANO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - For years, the Westridge Light Show was known as one of the best displays in Plano.
Its creator is now coming out of retirement in order to bring his neighbors some joy during the pandemic.
The inflatables, Christmas trees and 70,000 LED lights are synched with Christmas music on his very own radio station.
It's a lot of work, but for Jim Beckham it's worth it.
"In 1992, I was diagnosed with something and at that time, the doctor told me I had six months to live," he said. "That would have put me dying right at Christmas."
That year, he thought he'd do a little Christmas light display for his family to remember him by.
"I put up a little tomato cage and that was my Christmas and each year I've done a little bit more and it's grown from a tomato cage to this because I have lived and I am doing great!" he said.
For years, his light shows at 2708 Westridge Drive brought joy to his Plano neighbors, but after his 2018 season, he decided to retire because the work was getting hard on his body.
However, given the pandemic, this year his neighbors asked if he wouldn't mind bringing it back for one year.
He accepted.
"We never know what we have until there's a chance it might be taken away and with the year we've had, a lot of people have had things taken away," he said. "It's needed, everybody needs a little joy, a little happiness right now. I wouldn't do it if there wasn't something for me in the end which is the feeling I get in my heart making other people happy!"
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