When Alex Lohr was younger, he and his family would pile into an RV and drive around looking at Christmas lights. 

His favorites were always the displays that featured blinking lights synced to music, and in 2020, the 13-year-old decided to try it out for himself. 

One year later, Alex has been named one of the winners for Tallmadge's 2021 Tour of Lights competition, and he has plans to make his display even bigger next year.

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Though this is only the second year Alex has created an outdoor light show for Christmas, he's no amateur when it comes to holiday decorations. 

Since he was 4 years old, Alex, a student in Tallmadge's online program, has been turning his front yard into an elaborate graveyard for Halloween 

"My mom's birthday is Halloween, so we love Halloween," said Alex, who was born on Valentine's Day. "Someone down the street, Kristina Wilmot, used to do a really big Halloween and I was so excited to meet her. She was one of my biggest influences."

Over the years, the Halloween display has grown and now features animatronics and fog machines, but for Christmas Alex generally kept his outdoor decorations a bit more muted, with just a few outdoor inflatables and blow molds, the hollow plastic figurines that are lit up from the inside. 

"I've always done Christmas, but last year was my first light show. I've always loved them and there's this other house near us on Bentley Place that really inspired me," Alex said, referring to George Matthews' home.

Matthews was this year's overall winner. He also won last year, the inaugural year for the citywide light contest. 

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In Alex's front yard this year, he has programmed arches, four trees, window lights, a wreath, spotlights and roof lights to change colors and blink independently to a variety of Christmas songs played on his own radio station. Each song takes him about six hours to program. 

His display also includes a nativity blow mold created by his grandparents, candle blow molds that were his mother Rachelle's when she was a little girl and a few inflatables, including a moving jack in the box. 

Luckily, the neighbors across the street love the lights, Rachelle said. 

Unsurprisingly, the inside of Alex's home is just as full of Christmas spirit. 

There's three Christmas trees  (a classic one, an electric one, and a Grinch one), Santa blankets and pillows, figurines lining the tops of cabinets, a small animatronic Santa that climbs a ladder, and Alex's other masterpiece: a gingerbread house he made from scratch with candy stain glass windows. 

"With Alex, it's always been go big or go home," his sister, Ashlyn, 17 said. "This is his thing and I love living in it. He gets to show off his talent and it's so cool to get to see him do what he loves. He comes up with these ideas and he always makes it a reality." 

Alex said he hopes to be an avian veterinarian when he grows up, but hopes that he can create holiday displays as a side gig. 

"I love the decorations," he said. "I love seeing it come together and flashing and I get to spend time with my family." 

Visit Alex's light show at 432 Knollwood Ave. in Tallmadge. 

Reporter Krista S. Kano can be reached at 330-541-9416, kkano@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @KristaKanoABJ.