HOA spends on Christmas lights

Hi everyone, my question is:
My HOA board has been spending on Christmas lights consistently every year for the past 7-8 years. They started by spending a small amount $500 the first year, then started to climb progressively and now we are at $11,500. They wrap these lights around palm tress at the community entrance and they have a contractor do this.
I don't agree with this. I'm not against people celebrating Christmas , but I don't think it should be with the Association's money.

They think they have solved the problem by calling it "Holiday lights" , which I think is ridiculous , since there is no other holiday celebrated by wrapping lights around trees, other than Christmas.

So I have two questions:

1) Can I do something about this? ( to stop it I mean)
2) what if someone now steps up and says : "well, I want an $11,000 "holiday" Menorah at the entrance as well" or someone wants an$11,000 "holiday" Buddha statue , whatever... would the association have to obligue? and if not, wouldn't that be discrimination?

Thanks for your answers

Majority rules... and a majority rules the money. It's just a few weeks a year and brings some kids/adults some joy. Everyone likes a blinking lights in their eyes.

It is a small amount compared to the budget which I think is more than a million dollars. However , it is the principle behind it. I would rather them donate to a charity if thats what they ant to do , than spend it in useless lights.

"Is there really a religion-specific significance to wrapping lights around structures and trees?" let's not kid ourselves, this is done in December and does not reflect back to any other region other than Christianity. In Hannukah which is the other potential "holiday" , people does not wrap lights around anything. Let's not even go there , because it is pointless and a waste of time to argue this. But thanks for your response

In our community this would be considered a misuse of funds when we have many safety issues to deal with. However, we don't have a Million + budget a year. We shop a dollar store for decorations.

If you would like to see changes, run for a Board position during your next annual meeting and try to make that change. All HOA's have their own agenda and if the buildings needed maintenance with this money being spent on lights, there's a point. Otherwise the Board and community is fine with the lights.

You could, Guillermo, try to get your fellow owners to ask the Board or speak out at open meetings saying how much they feel the lights are a waste of money. That nagging by a lot of owners might encourage the board to spend less. Or get a petition signed to try to persuade the board to spend less.

Otherwise, why should they take them down or reduce them just for you? Menorahs are specifically religious where the lights are fairly generic and don't represent a religion. And, of course, no board could force anyone to wear certain kinds of clothes because of other rights we have in the USA.

Melissa's wrong, it's not that a majority of the owners decide whether to have them or not, but a majority of the board does decide with its vote.

A few years ago, our former president had a wreath put up on the chimney of the clubhouse for the holidays. As far as I know, no one complained and it WAS a nice touch to the community because 90% don't put up anything (they rarely say anything about what the board does either.

Wrapping lights around the palm trees don't seem excessive, although I agree with you on the cost. The only way I can see the expenses getting that expensive is because of the electrical costs and having a contractor putting them up (this isn't a job for volunteers without insurance). I also see your point on holiday lights in general - personally, I think it would be more appropriate to sponsor a community-wide party and/or home decorating contest where prizes could be given (not $11,500 worth!) You get the holiday lights from whoever wants to participate, the community looks festive and you don't favor one holiday over another.

You haven't said if you've even talked to the board, so why not start there? At least you should ask for some answers regarding the costs to see if there's a less expensive way to do it.

assuming 1.5 million budget the lights are 0.7333 %

yes, LESS than 1 %

Thanks for your advice, but I don't feel I need to run for the Board just because I have an issue with some Christmas lights .

I have talked to them at the last meeting. They didn't like to be challenged and were kind of dismissive and unwilling to talk much about it. Since I didn't get much support from other owners present there, I believe this is pretty much a closed case.
Thanks for your feedback

Sheila's right, Guillermo!

You mean to say "the board has pretty much absolute power over an indifferent community."