There is, apparently, such a thing as too much holiday spirit. At least, that’s the case for the Ruot family of DeBary, Florida, whose bright seasonal house decorations featuring an American flag have come under fire by the local homeowners association in classic Grinch mode.
The family has been going all-out with their lit-up winter wonderland decor for a decade, local News 6 reports, with their house becoming an annual attraction during the holiday season; video even shows a machine has been rigged up to make snow fall on the yard, a true rarity in warm-weather Florida. But this year, the new homeowners association sent the Ruots a letter insisting that the lights are problematic for the “aesthetics” and valuation of their property.
For his part, owner Gary Ruot isn’t backing down.
“If the kids have a smile on their face, I’ll deal with it afterwards,” he told a reporter regarding a potential fine for his resistance to the request.
Read more at News6.
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Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com