Calif. neighbors at odds with each other over residential Christmas displays
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. -- The tradition of elaborate Christmas light displays and big crowds have caused some sour feelings on Candy Cane Lane, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Neighbors are at odds with each other over whether the Christmas tradition should continue in the residential neighborhood Woodland Hills.
For generations, residents like Harry Whale have put up hand-made Winnie the Pooh Christmas decorations. But over the years, the neighborhood celebration has drawn major traffic backups on its residential streets — vendors sold food and LED toys, and some inebriated and inconsiderate revelers left trash all over the usually manicured lawns.
"Last year was a little rough, a few people getting a little too tipsy for their own good. And they forget that these are people's homes," one neighbor said.
Frustrations over all the neighborhood disruptions led to some neighbors to complain to the police and the Los Angeles City Council.
"It's like everywhere. There are some people, they don't care. You have some people, they like to destroy," another neighbor said.
The displays at Candy Cane Lane will go on this year, and some are still not quite set up.
But what is ready is more security cameras and neighborhood watch crews, and reminders for visitors to be nice, not naughty.
"You have to remind people what's the foundation of it. You have to say, hey, you know, these are people doing it themselves. This isn't an amusement park," one neighbor said.