You could be forgiven for being excited about Christmas and decking up your house early for the festival. However, one family paid the price for doing so.?
A family in US' Florida is facing a hefty fine of $1,000 (Rs 75,000) because they put up their Christmas lights too early, the Associated Press reported.??
The Moffa family hired an agency to decorate their home this year, wanting to go with a sleeker, higher quality festive look.?However, as decorators were fully booked in the run-up to the festive season, the family was forced to get them installed a little earlier - and did so?on November 6.
"We couldn't get in on last year's. We actually booked this year from last year. November 6 was the date that he had early so we did it.?"If you take a look at the lights, it's not egregious, right? And when they are on they actually look pretty cool and the kids enjoy it and it puts a smile on their face,"?Michael Moffa?told Fox 13.?
But it did not go down well with the?family¡¯s local housing association (Westchase Community Association)?who have since?decided to fine the family $1,000 (Rs 75,000) for putting the decorations up prematurely.
On November 8, just 48 hours after the festive display was put out - they received a letter from the housing association saying they had been put out too early.??
The family was subsequently levied a fine of $100 a day, rising up to $1,000 in total, if the lights weren¡¯t adjusted to comply with rules and regulations.
According to an attorney for the housing association,?the issue was first sparked by a complaint from a neighbour.?Furthermore, they explained how a vote must be held by the organisation before any fines could possibly be imposed.??
¡°One of the things they¡¯re preventing is from the person that has the holiday lights up all year-round or things along those lines,"? Jonathan Ellis, an attorney for the Westchase Community Association told WFLA.? ??
Ellis said the rules are in place to be followed, but said the board is open to discussing changes.
Moffa said, however, that the association hasn¡¯t been receptive even after they offered to keep the lights off until Thanksgiving.??
Michael Moffa told?The Washington Post?that even if the guidelines showed that the family had put the lights up ¡®too early¡¯ that he¡¯s ¡®not taking them down¡¯.
He concluded, "Everything looks so nice and for them to be a Grinch like this, it¡¯s just unheard of."
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