"The IT component would be around $750,000," Ferrell says, adding that his company earns $850,000 a year supporting Callaway Gardens.

Ferrell says the Callaway Gardens holiday light show is "definitely the most sophisticated in the country. It's the difference between the major leagues and the minor leagues."

"As far as I know, Callaway Gardens is the most sophisticated holiday light show in the United States, certainly as far as the controls are concerned," Mobley says. "It's a question of how the lights are synchronized with the sound."

For other high-tech holiday light shows, check out these YouTube videos of displays at , ,  ,  ,  and