Does Your Idaho Town Make You Take Down Your Christmas Decorations?

As I watched my inflatable Christmas snowman weather the rain over the weekend, I kept telling myself it's time to take it down. I also noticed my neighbors taking their stuff down, which added some peer pressure and got me wondering if there is an actual law in Idaho that forces Christmas lights and inflatables to come down at the end of the season.

The short answer is, there's no state-wide law that gives a deadline for taking down your Christmas decorations. But a handful of Idaho cities do have language in their municipal code that can apply to holiday displays.

Here are some Idaho cities that have code tied to seasonal decorations, holiday displays, or holiday timing.

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First, A Quick Reality Check

Most city rules are not written as ‘Christmas lights must be down by January 10.’

They are typically written as:

• Seasonal decorations are allowed only during the holiday season.

• Certain holiday displays must be removed after the holiday.

• Holiday decorations are treated as temporary signage under sign rules.

So, these rules don't necessarily apply to holiday lights and residential displays. The gray area tends to be large displays, message-style decorations, banners, or anything that looks like a sign.

Boise

Surprisingly, Boise isn't all that regulated. Boise’s city code lists ‘religious symbols and seasonal decorations’ as a category of signs that are not regulated. That means there isn't a take-down deadline for typical seasonal decorations.

Eagle

Eagle code allows seasonal decorations within the appropriate holiday season, but adds a requirement that these displays shall be removed at the end of the public holiday season. The language in the code is highly commercial, and they don't specify when the season ends.

Kuna

Kuna’s code goes a step further by putting an actual number on it. Kuna allows seasonal Kuna code states that displays shall be removed at the end of the public holiday season within ten (10) calendar days.

Twin Falls

Twin Falls has a very specific rule, but it is tied to a specific type of sign.

Twin Falls city code states that a community event sign shall be removed within three (3) days after the event or holiday. This code is aimed at signage. Not so much your inflatables, yard ornaments, or lights. While it's very direct, this would more likely apply to a business than a home.

You'll Probably Get More Grief From Neighbors or HOA than Your City

Idaho does not have a one-size-fits-all statewide deadline for Christmas decorations.

Depending on the city, local code could treat seasonal displays as temporary signage. But for the most part, these rules don't apply to your average residential decorations. The statues are more about a display functioning like signage than they are about holiday spirit.

You're more likely to have your HOA talk to you about your decorations lingering too long after Christmas than City Code Enforcement.