Air Force families at Florida base ordered to strip Christmas lights from homes

The war on premature Christmas cheer has arrived in Florida, where families at Tyndall Air Force Base were ordered to strip their homes of holiday lights and Santa décor weeks before Thanksgiving.

Residents in privatized housing run by Balfour Beatty Communities were told in a message titled “One Holiday at a Time…” that “Christmas decorations have already begun to appear within the community.”

The company warned that “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,” the notice read.

The directive, which was posted to the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, sparked a wave of outrage and mockery across military circles, with service members and veterans accusing the base’s landlord of acting like a “Grinch.”

Air Force Capt. Justin Davidson-Beebe, the public affairs chief at Tyndall, confirmed to the military affairs news site Task & Purpose that the order came from Balfour Beatty, not the Air Force itself.

“They are enforcing the community standards outlined in the legally binding lease agreement all residents voluntarily sign,” Davidson-Beebe said.

He said that the housing company’s standards allow winter decorations starting the week after Thanksgiving through the first week of January.

“These guidelines are not part of a broader Air Force policy,” he said.

“Since community standards are set by the privatized housing management company at some installations, standards may vary from base to base.”

A Balfour Beatty spokesperson told Task & Purpose the company’s policy permits decorations 30 days before a holiday, describing it as “common practice across rental communities and homeowners’ associations to help ensure neighborhoods can remain neat, consistent, and enjoyable for all residents.”

“Most residents appreciate clear, reasonable guidelines so that the community remains a pleasant place to live and celebrate,” the spokesperson told Task & Purpose.

The company said the rule helps keep neighborhoods “neat, consistent, and enjoyable for all residents.”

The incident comes amid ongoing frustration over privatized military housing, which has been plagued for years by mold, maintenance issues and tenant disputes.

Congress established the Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights in 2020 to curb abuses, but families and watchdog groups say contractors still hold overwhelming power.

Online, however, the message triggered more laughter than legal debate.

“If the Air Force wanted you to have Christmas cheer, it would’ve issued it to you!” one veteran joked.

Another wrote, “The Grinch is running housing at Tyndall?”

Others found creative loopholes.

“I’d fill all my windows with lights on the inside — they’re interior decorations now,” one commenter wrote.

Another suggested a “Festivus pole,” arguing it contained no lights or tinsel and thus passed inspection.

Bryan Celis joked: “Haha they don’t know about the Thanks Giving Tree!?!??”

“According to me, Christmas start September 1st,” wrote Erlanda Ali-Bentley.

Some mocked the policy’s timing. “Just getting you ready for your future homeowners association once you retire,” wrote another Facebook user.

The Post has sought comment from Balfour Beatty.