Clark Griswold vs. The HOA: A Texas Family’s Quest for Holiday Justice

Everything is bigger in Texas, but it appears a San Antonio HOA didn’t get the memo.

Go Griswold Or Go Home

So, here is the scenerio. A San Antonio homeowners association is holding a Christmas decoration contest that includes a Griswold category, but is fining an HOA member for allegedly having too many bright lights.

The Movie “Christmas Vacation”

The Griswold category in the HOA’s decoration contest references the 1989 hit movie starring Chevy Chase, the father who wants to have the ultimate Christmas with the brightest house on the block. He accomplished that...and more.

Mountain Lodge HOA

The Gathright family tells KENS that the Mountain Lodge HOA sent them a citation for excessive glare, claiming their Christmas lights were too bright...in a category labeled “Griswold”. The homeowner said that they are being encouraged to decorate only to be fined for doing so.

Religious Freedom

The homeowners say the issue is more than decorations, telling KENS that their religious rights are being infringed upon. They also say they believe the citation is retaliation for a previous legal dispute. The homeowner plans to keep the decorations in place until the matter is resolved.

Christmas Lights “Pre” Clark Griswold

The first instance of electric Christmas lights being used was in December 1882. Edward H. Johnson was an associate of Thomas Edison. Edison invented things and Johnson turned the inventions into money. Johnson had special bulbs made for a Christmas tree which he then placed in a window near Fifth Avenue in New York City. The tree held 80 hand-wired, red, white and blue electric incandescent light bulbs that were the size of walnuts. The tree was a hit. The lights were too expensive for the average American, but businesses began to use them in their store windows.