'Twas the Fight Before Christmas

HEAVY SPOILERS: This is a very well made documentary about a family's legal battles with an HOA over a Christmas light show, complete with a camel, live nativity, choir, and thousands and thousands of lights (think Clark Griswold on cocaine) put on in their Idaho neighborhood. Now, generally I can't stand HOAs, and I wouldn't ever live in a neighborhood that has one, and I totally expected to be on the Christmas guy's side, but man was I wrong. I can't stand a bully, and I have never seen a bigger bully hiding behind the "Christian Persecution/War on Christmas" nonsense in my life. He was threatening lawsuits before he even moved into the neighborhood, and btw, he's a lawyer, "thousands of times smarter than these people", which he'll happily tell you before he threatens to sue you...which is constantly. As a side note I learned he was educated at Liberty University, so yeah....anyway, he's going to spread Christmas Cheer and if you don't let him he's gonna ruin you, damn it! I feel for that neighborhood. They just wanted to keep their neighborhood the quiet, sleepy little bit of paradise that they moved there to have, and it was all ruined by one guy, not his family mind you, just the husband. His poor wife just wanted to have a nice relationship with her neighbors cause she never had that growing up, as she lived in an isolated area with lots of space between homes, and her husband ruined it. She tried to be supportive, but this guy has a my way or no way mentality, believing he's like an American General, surrounded by hostile forces, to the point of quoting an American General's one word reply to the German Army when they told them to surrender during the Battle of the Bulge in a reply to the HOA. He compared himself to Moses according to one couple in the neighborhood, an actual Christian minister and his wife, whom I'm positive he probably accused of being "anti-Christian atheists." He had the Three Percenters running around the neighborhood, armed of course, cause that's their whole thing, and surprise, surprise it upset some people, but it's Idaho, so everyone is apparently armed. Nothing says Christmas Cheer like armed security from a militia! When things turn against him, Mr. Christmas says the Judge is corrupt and they live in a banana republic, cause of course they do. He says the HOA's lawyer is clearly a "commie." Jeez...the documentary crew must have the patience of saints to be around this ray of sunshine. These are retirees and families with children for the most part, though the neighbors aren't exactly blameless in this whole thing either. This is a tight knit neighborhood, with everyone being close, and one guy tried his best to mess it all up with his righteous fury (and most likely political ambitions that a kerfuffle like this could jump start in the crazy right wing of our current times), though he actually made everyone else an even tighter group with his bull. In short, he's a child that was bullied, so he became a bully himself as an adult, using lawsuits as his brass knuckles and conservative media as his bullhorn. Who knows how it will all end up cause he wants to take it to the Supreme Court should it be necessary. Keep in mind, nearly every single person in this neighborhood is a Christian of some denomination, they just don't want thousands of people in their neighborhood for several days each holiday season. They also didn't seem to appreciate being secretly recorded every single interaction that you have with a neighbor. I'm sure he's a real hit at parties. It's back and forth in the courts right now. I can't believe it, but I hope the HOA wins.

This dude has no idea what it means to be a Christian. He's a poor man's Trump style bully. Most people LIKE holiday lights. He takes it too far. What does he really want? He's just a narcissist.

Jeremy Morris is a man who loves Christmas, he likes to decorate his house open it to visitors to raise money for charity. That is all well and good, admirable in fact. But the way in which he goes about it is absolutely wrong, and has led to years of unhappiness for those around him. What he fails to understand is that altough you live in a free country, that does not give you the right to do whatever you want. Freedom comes at a cost. You do not live in an isolated bubble, you have to show some consideration for your neighbours also. Has he not already proven that he holds little regard for the law? Before he moved the neighbourhood he had held a previous Christmas event which attracted thousands of people and he hadn't bothered to obtain the required permits to do so. It is utterly absurd that he tried to accuse the neighbours of religious discrimination. Who would want to have thousands of people descending on their street when all they want is a quiet Christmas, don't the neighbours have the right to that? This guy behaves like a bully, and comes across as the worst neighbour from Hell. I really feel sorry for the neighbours.

It's an interesting documentary. The residents of West Hayden Estates come across as sane, likeable people who just don't want their peaceful community spoilt by a horde of people gawping at a tacky, OTT Xmas display. Jeremy Morris, on the other hand, comes across as an arrogant, selfish, obsessed dictator, who was probably indulged too much as a kid and hasn't grown up since. He's also delusional, actually comparing his tacky Xmas display to the Berlin Wall, and himself to a surrounded US Commander in the Battle of the Bulge, and he seems to think that being a lawyer makes him God. Wanna know why people hate lawyers so much? I give you one Jeremy R. Morris.

He claims he and other lawyers reviewed the CC&Rs and found nothing that would prevent his Christmas Program? BS- there was a long list of clauses that he violated- which some news articles listed out. He turned their objections into a religious war to suit his agenda. Calling his neighbors "domestic terrorists"? I feel so badly for his neighbors.

Well, I thought this was wonderfully executed. Definitely falls into the category of horrible neighbor disputes. I have mixed feelings for Mr. Morris, on one hand the HOA did discriminate against him, yet while I respect his convictions his tactics were a little much. For me, its's clear the HOA thought they were being cute by sending that initial letter; and they never thought in a million years they would unleash an emotional, intellectual, monster! The hypocrisy of the judge's reversal was unbelievable ....almost like she was so frustrated that his plan was well thought out and flawlessly executed that she pretended to hear something different on those recordings (even though the neighbor lied under deposition)...ugh! Lastly, I can't help but laugh because there were literally NO people of color in this documentary (seems comical when WP fights WP), or the fact that the neighbors were perplexed by the weaponization of social media (this was taking place during DT's reign) ... I believe a certain news channel was referenced repeatedly and they are KING of fake news (you will reap what you sow)!

Solid documentary. Heartbreaking story. I'm a Christian and do not agree at all with Jermeys behavior. Please know not all Christian's are like him. I stand with his neighbors and I hope Dolly's dog is in a good place.

Anyone, including those featured in this documentary, who disagree with this nonsense is an idiot. HOAs should be disallowed. Take your garbage somewhere else! And take away your garbage rhetoric of Conservatives. All of a sudden, wanting to put up holiday lights is white supremacy haha.

Good for him. Them People in that neighborhood are Christmas grinches. All them people in that neighborhood think they are better then other people. I hope they lose.

While watching this film I could feel Jeremy's passion with the spirit of Christmas and what the holiday season has to offer everyone. I have a beautiful picture of Santa I pull out after Thanksgiving and under neath it a sign say's "BELIEVE." I think that ole Saint Nick reminds us to BELIEVE in the Christmas spirit every December 6th. It's easy to see how Jeremy got himself into a bit of hot coco. His love of the season and the concept of giving to those most in need was easy for the watcher to be convinced his heart is in the right place. His wife is a saint, she stands by his side, with their children, unconditionally loving and supporting the entire family lead by him. He is using his case as an example to stand up and exercise your 1st amendment right. And for this we appreciate him excelling at his profession as an attorney. How many times do we buy into concepts, and we feel cheated when we didn't read and or understand the legal documents that come along with expensive real estate purchase. The argument between the neighbors and Jeremy is a contract dispute. Jeremy wants what he signed up for in regards to his home purchase and HOA guidelines. The neighbors are coming at him from emotional reasoning and essentially because he is the hot shot smart attorney aka new kid on the block, instead of embracing him, they make him feel like Rudolph, they won't let him play reindeer games. Jeremy is raising money for a Chairity benefiting children with cancer. His Christmas party grows each year and people show up and have a great time. The neighbors are quiet and private and can't handle all the energy this event brings to the neighborhood. I think that there probably at some point could have been a compromise but neither side was willing to budge. Now, the bigger picture comes into play when Jeremy does win his case based on the facts and twelve jurors ultimately agree with him. The judge overseeing the case sided with the neighbors and overturned the juror's decision. That in its self is concerning. Why did twelve people who were unbiased let him go and the judge throws a wrench in the way. The judge then takes an early Retirment and leaves the homeowners and Jeremy fighting it out in court through appeals. The neighbors don't want to accept accountability for the part that they played in the game and neither does the judge. I hope in the Sequel we see that people step up to the plate and support Jeremy and his family. Perhaps so many people will want to support his cause he can start up his Christmas Party somewhere that would accommodate all the people who want to join in the fun. Jeremy can go back to decorating his home or if I were him, I would relocate. Why not go where you are celebrated, I wouldn't recommend staying where you're tolerated. That way the nosy busy body neighbors can have their neighborhood back and Jeremy and his family can grow and prosper. I like how he is sticking to his guns and pointing out the obvious, the justice system failed him. People across America need to know their rights and he's showing us how we can best cohabitate in an HOA community. Ultimately there will be a settlement. I personally think the HOA can't afford to pay him out and that's why the judge flipped the script. They do need to settle with him and pay him out. The judge only delayed that portion, but through the appeals if everything goes according to the law, he allegedly will receive his restitution. Merry Christmas.