SAN FRANCISCO (KRON/NEXSTAR) – How early is too early to decorate for Christmas?
Mariah Carey has thoughts.
Carey set the record straight on Twitter, in response to a news story from WFLA concerning a Florida homeowner who faces up to $1,000 in fines for putting up his Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Michael Moffa, the homeowner, said his HOA was being a “grinch” about the rule, and it seems Mariah may agree.
On Thursday, Carey shared a link to the article with her 21.6 million Twitter followers, explaining that she personally waits until after Thanksgiving to decorate, but feels there’s “no regulating festiveness.”
Carey, whose 1994 song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” was determined to be the “Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Song” by Billboard.com, had chimed in with similar sentiments earlier this month. On Nov. 1, Carey made a midnight announcement marking the unofficial start of “MariahSZN,” complete with a video in which Carey smashes jack-o’-lanterns while “All I Want for Christmas Is You” blares in the background.
Guinness World Records even joked that Carey’s announcement set a “new record for the earliest celebration of Christmas.”
As for Florida homeowner Michael Moffa, he said he offered to keep his Christmas lights off until Thanksgiving, but the HOA board wasn’t receptive to the idea.
“The holidays and the pandemic, I think the kids are wanting something that’s more bright to look at,” Moffa told WFLA.
An attorney for the HOA said it’s possible the board would reconsider their rules altogether, but only with enough support from the neighborhood.
“If there’s enough [of] the community that wants to change, I believe generally the Community Association of Westchase will listen to the residents and will make changes,” said Jonathan Ellis, an attorney representing the Westchase Community Association.