KERNERSVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — This time of year, you'll see Christmas lights up in just about every neighborhood.  But some are different from the rest and you'll find that a local favorite, "Blinkies" has a lot of fans in their hometown.  They were developed by Roger Briles and first went on sale more than 15 years ago. He developed a bulb with a heat-triggered relay that turns them on and off.  Is it legal to have Christmas lights on your car in North Carolina? We talked with Roger's son, Brad, who told us that each bulb blinks at a different rate, depending on the bulb and the temperature. "Sometimes they blink faster and sometimes they blink slower," Brad Briles said. "Every bulb has a distinct blinking pattern to it".    Roger Briles worked with Cathy Michael to market them locally, then they started to gain fans across the nation. However, Michael says their biggest fans are still in their hometown of Kernersville. "They're not just our customers, they're our friends and neighbors. We go to church with them, and we know each other," said Michael.  During the holidays, downtown Kernersville is shining bright, and most of the homes are decorated with Blinkies. The slow, random twinkle has a different look from other types of lights.  It's a bit more relaxed and has a great vintage feel.  It also sends a message about how this community loves to support a local small business that years ago came up with lights that have a personality all their own.  Brad Briles smiled when he told us, "Whether they know Dad or not, they know that Blinkies is their hometown tradition, and they are so warm and so inviting. When they come by here, everybody has a story about how excited they are to get their Blinkies and go home and put them in. It's a wonderful feeling to be embraced by the community the way we have been".  The nights may be chilly, but Blinkies let folks in Kernersville share the warmth of the season and say thanks to the man who came up with a beautiful way to let people add some light to their holiday. You can order Blinkies through Amazon or through their website. They're also available at Farmers Hardware on Main St. in Kernersville.