Christmas Decorations

Does anybody live in a community that requires owners to decorate exclusive areas? Or in a community that spends mandatory assessments on holiday decorations in common areas? I'm interested in your take on such requirements.

I'm researching an article on the enforceability of these type of provisions. Examples of the pertinent covenant language would be helpful if you live in such a community.

Thanks!

Since our HOA was established we have put up decorations on our entrance and at our pool house around Christmas time. These are all common areas and the decorations are put up by volunteers, but endorsed and paid for by the HOA. The decorations are benign garlands, bows, and lights. Usually the time that the decorations are up includes Christmas and Hanukkah, so they can be spun as recognizing both Christian and Jewish traditions.

This past year, Hanukkah arrived early and the decorations were put up only after it was all over. It was then clear that our decorations are more about Christmas than any other tradition. Several Jewish families expressed their feeling of exclusion to the Board.

We had a motion at our annual meeting to add to the decorations to include a Menorah or Dreidel during Hanukkah. The motion caused a stir, and was soundly defeated.

One reason stated for opposing the motion was that we have Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and possibly other traditions represented among our homeowners and opening the decorations up to any specific religion would open a floodgate where we would never be able to satisfy everyone.

What do other HOAs do about decorations during the "holiday" season?

That seems sad to me.

A few homeowners that are "offened" always ruin it for everyone.

Call your "Christmas decorations" "seasonal decorations"

In the winter season, you have hollys and evergreens, thats the reason you decorate with such. As a matter of fact, decorating a evergreen tree inside your house dates back to the winter pagan hoilday, not the celebration of Christ birth.

If you make your hoilday decorations very "seasonal" and not "christian" you should be fine. I am sure your HOA didn't put up a big cross or a Nativity scene. If they did that might be a problem.

Our HOA puts up a few wreaths at the gate, lights, and some evergreen around the clubhouse. None of which, is "Christian" in nature. It's "seasonal" in nature.

I sure if your HOA, or any HOA decided to make sure every religion is represented during the month of Dec, you would have to have a special assesment added to your cost, and then you would have someone argue they are atheist, and want nothing up.

I would let your neighbors know that "seasonal" decorations go up Dec 1st. And leave it at that.

During the fall months, Oct 1st- Dec 1st, we put up fall decorations. Pumkins, dried corn stalks, wreaths that have fall looking leaves, and so on. In the spring,March 1st- May 1st, we put up wreaths and decorations with bringhtly colored flowers. During the month of Dec, we again put up the dec SEASON decorations.

The decorations are meant to be "seasonal" without any reference to any religion or lack of one.

In a particular "season," just decorate according to what that season holds as far as what your surroundings are around you. AND explain this to the members of the HOA.

What we do in our community is have a set "season" decorations. if someone feels they are being excluded, we tell them they can add to the decorations (with of course, with BOD oversight) but they have to pay, and but the decorations up themselves.

Once saying that, we have never had a member want to include their personal touches.

AGAIN... WE DO NOT DECORATE FOR A HOILDAY, WE DECORATE FOR THE SEASON.

To me it is both sad and annoying that the world we live in today causes the topic of X-Mas, holiday, or whatever you wish to call it decorations and how to handle this.

I was raised a Catholic as a kid. I gave that up many years ago. This is not a religious holiday for me. It is Christmas and concerns the guy in the red suit that kids get excited about.

I have been Board President for 8 years. About 5 years ago I decided the property needed some HOLIDAY spirit.

I purchased some inexpensive holiday lights, and some music playing trees. They play just holiday music, I paid extra for that feature! No religious songs of any denomination.

Some on the Board anticipated court cases reaching the Supreme Court.
I was willing to take my chances.

We have yet to recieve ONE negative comment, complaint or request for some form of equal holiday representation.

What I have seen, is a steady stream of cars applying their brakes as they drive through the property to take a minute to look.

I have seen small children with their parents walking over to look at the lights and trying to figure out where the music comes from.

I have had senior residents asking when and if the lights were going up this year. They always seem to how some doubts.

I have heard repeated compliments from those visiting the property just how much this small effort adds to the property and the season.

You can call it whatever you wish. You can look and listen or close your eyes and cover your ears. Or you can consider the possibility that the good this brings to this small part of our world is worth perhaps bending your personal rules as to what's right and correct.

The lights are on now, the music (at low level) is playing I can see the lights from my window. That's how we handle this in NY a place where things easily and commonly get blown way out of proportion. If we can find the answer here give it a try wherever you are.

And to all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or whatever else you might now be celebrating this time of year. In our world today IMO better to find reasons to enjoy rather than reasons to battle over.

Ho Ho Ho I hear Santa.......................................

My HOA has put up lights at the entrance to the HOA and had the lamp poles decorated since its inception. One year, two of us on the board put up the lights to save money. Since then, we decided the better way was to simply allow the HOA to be early in the decorating season. This year, the lights were up a week before Thanksgiving.

So far nobody has complained.

Thanks for the information.

This thread is 10 years old.