Air Force Base Families Asked To Take Down Early Christmas Decorations
The email, sent by the privatized housing company, was titled, "One Holiday At A Time."
Military families at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida, were told to take down their Christmas decoration because it’s too early in the year.
The service members and their families received an emailed titled “One Holiday at a Time,” which explained that all holiday decorations should be removed until after Thanksgiving.
The email, which was posted on Facebook, reads:
“While driving the neighborhoods yesterday, it was noticed that Christmas decorations have already begun to appear within the community. All holiday decorations should be reflective in their respective months and not any sooner than 30 days before the given holiday. 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.”
The email was from Balfour Beatty Communities, the company that owns the privatized housing on the base and acts as the families’ landlords.
The guidelines listed say that “winter decorations” can be displayed starting the week after Thanksgiving until the first week of the New Year.
“These guidelines are not part of a broader Air Force policy,” Air Force Capt. Justin Davidson-Beebe, the public affairs chief at Tyndall, told Task & Force. “Since community standards are set by the privatized housing management company at some installations, standards may vary from base to base.”
In the comments to the Facebook post, the majority of people expressed their anger and sadness over the rule.
“When I was active duty we celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving within one week because I was leaving for a short tour to Osan in December and would be leaving before Christmas,” one service member wrote. “So that year my Christmas tree and decorations went up the day after Halloween. It costs $0 to mind your own business.”
“Memories from when we got written up for having a winter berry wreath on our front door at Fairchild in…brace yourselves…January,” another wrote. “The audacity of us!”
“It’s Christmas after Halloween,” another wrote. “Then it’s Thanksgiving. Then it’s Christmas again.”
“Cue malicious compliance,” another suggested. “I’m sure we can find Thanksgiving lights.”
Privatized housing on military bases have long been a center of controversy. Despite a “Tenants Bill of Rights” passed in 2020, military families continue to point out the enormous amount of unfair power their landlords have over them at the bases.
