Many enlistees and their families stationed at a Florida Air Force base are being told to take down their Christmas decorations because it’s too soon for Santa.
Privatized housing residents at Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle were reminded this week that the conditions of their rental agreement prohibit holiday decor from being displayed more than 30 days before the event being celebrated, according to Task & Purpose.
“If you currently have Yuletide decor present on the outside of your home, please remove it and reinstall it in accordance with your community guidelines listed below,” said a notice from the landlord for all privatized housing on the base.
The notification from the Balfour Beatty Communities property management group included a rundown of community rules regarding festive decorations. An Air Force official reportedly confirmed the order was valid.
According to the rules, Christmas decorations can only be displayed the week after Thanksgiving and have to come down during the first week of the New Year.
An Air Force official assured Task & Purpose that the rules are specific to the private housing community at the Tyndall base and don’t apply to private or public housing at other military bases.
Balfour Beatty Communities, which manages the property, said holiday decor guidelines “help ensure neighborhoods remain neat, consistent and enjoyable for all residents.”
The website of lifestyle guru Martha Stewart reported in September that it was once a “general rule of thumb” that Christmas decorations shouldn’t be displayed before Thanksgiving, but that’s no longer the consensus.
