with thanks to al and esther thompson for what they call their annual tacky light tour. 170,000 lights, 150 home-made hand painted figures, we are guessing all of it visible from space. >>> up next, what one family saw in our making a difference report that inspired them to pick up the phone, calling to help even before we were off the air. >>> all this week here we are following up our making a difference reports, checking back in to see what's happened since our stories aired originally. well, tonight the heart-warming story of a family that had fallen on hard times like a lot of other folks, and the strangers who saw the story of their plight. they are not strangers anymore. nbc's chris jansing has tonight's making a difference report. >> reporter: to the unknowing eye the hidalgo family is doing something very ordinary -- decorating their christmas tree. the extraordinary thing about it is this will be their first real christmas in three years. >> they were waiting for the moment when we can finally have something that we really, you know, wanted for christmas like every kid. >> re

you could actually see a couple of the houses, like al and esther thompson's from blocks away and quite carried away here, al? >> a little bit. you know, it started slow like a lot of people do. we're up to 603 homemade items now. we have 172,000 lights. we've had people signing in from every single state and over 80 different countries. little kids are neat. they'll put in their "please do this forever." >> reporter: the tour ends at the piece de resistance. ♪ hallelujah > a work of staggering luminescence. do you think it's wrong to call it tacky? >> i think it's perfect to call it tacky. i wouldn't call it anything else but tacky. it's tacky but it's beautiful at the same time. >> reporter: what kind of guy do you think would do this? >> dedicated. a little crazy in a good way and very creative i think. >> reporter: it's all done by bobby fire with help from his wife, also bobbi, and his daughter. they've strung more than a million lights on his house and his mother rose's house next door creating a mega watt miracle of the yule tide. it takes nine solid weeks to put up. adds $2400 t

with thanks to al and esther thompson for what they call their annual tacky light tour. 170,000 lightshome-made hand painted figures, we are guessing all of it visible from space. >>> up next, what one family saw in our making a difference report that inspired them to pick up the phone, calling to help even before we were off the air:. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lune

with thanks to al and esther thompson for what they call their annual tacky light tour. 170,000 lightshome-made hand painted figures, we are guessing all of it visible from space. >>> up next, what one family saw in our making a difference report that inspired them to pick up the phone, calling to help even before we were off the air. help even before we were off the air:. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morni