January 19, 2026 at 1:35 pm

Homeowner Was Targeted By His HOA Over A Harmless Tree Swing, So His Front Yard Became An Inflatable Christmas Wonderland

by Benjamin Cottrell

outdoor christmas decorations

Unsplash/Reddit

Neighborhood rules were meant to keep the peace, not spark personal vendettas.

When an HOA targeted a homeowner over a year-old tree swing, he decided to follow the bylaws closely — and creatively.

Keep reading for the full story!

Revenge on my HOA/nosy neighbor

A few days ago, I received a call from my HOA telling me that a neighbor had complained about a tree swing I’ve put up in front of my house.

The homeowner suspects it has less to do with the actual swing.

Thing is, this swing has been up for about a year now, but I suspect the board is now targeting me because they didn’t like how I spoke to them in the last meeting.

I’ve read the bylaws and covenants and intend on fighting this the proper way.

But in the meantime, petty revenge will have to do.

I’ve already taken down my Christmas decorations, as we’re well past Christmas, but I’ve now taken them back out and set them up out front.

This time, the homeowner went all out.

I’ve set up a 10-foot-tall inflatable reindeer.

I’ve set up a 6-foot-tall inflatable snowman family.

I moved my children’s outside toys (bicycles, etc.) to the front yard (no mention of toys in the bylaws).

And they’re not done yet.

I’ve also explained the story to a few friends and family and am in the process of acquiring and setting up more inflatable Christmas decorations.

Have I mentioned that this is all going down during 2020?

My tree swing is THAT important.

This HOA really needs to get their priorities in order.

Redditors chime in with their thoughts.

Stories like this one makes this commenter appreciate their much more chill neighbors.

Screenshot 2025 12 31 at 11.43.07 AM Homeowner Was Targeted By His HOA Over A Harmless Tree Swing, So His Front Yard Became An Inflatable Christmas Wonderland

Forget an inflatable snowman — what about a full-on radio tower?

Screenshot 2025 12 31 at 11.43.43 AM Homeowner Was Targeted By His HOA Over A Harmless Tree Swing, So His Front Yard Became An Inflatable Christmas Wonderland

This commenter suspects the HOA will just end up changing the rules.

Screenshot 2025 12 31 at 11.44.14 AM Homeowner Was Targeted By His HOA Over A Harmless Tree Swing, So His Front Yard Became An Inflatable Christmas Wonderland

Decking the halls has a whole new meaning now!

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.