Air Force Base Families Told to Take Down the Christmas Decor

'Tis the season ... to hold your horses. The AP reports military families who live in a community of homes near Florida's Tyndall Air Force Base and put up Christmas decorations already were told they jumped the gun by their landlords. The Guardian reports a "tersely-worded memo" sent last week by private housing contractor Balfour Beatty Communities stated a drive around the neighborhood made clear that several homes had put up holiday displays too early, in violation of community guidelines. Holiday decor is only allowed within 30 days of the holiday itself, per those guidelines, and Christmas lights specifically can only be displayed from the week after Thanksgiving through the third week of January—provided they're only turned on from 6pm to 11pm.

The directive, which came in an email titled "One holiday at a time," drew mixed reactions after it was posted to an unofficial Air Force Facebook page. Some residents said people should be able to find joy where they can, while others said Thanksgiving deserves its own month. Tyndall public affairs chief Capt. Justin Davidson-Beebe confirmed the memo's authenticity but clarified it did not come from the military. "Since community standards are set by the privatized housing management company at some installations, standards may vary from base to base," he noted.