She was shamed for not hanging Christmas decorations. She was grieving her mom’s death

A California woman says that while she was grieving her mother’s death, she was shamed for not putting up Christmas decorations.

The woman, Lyndia Ives Zarra, wrote on Facebook that she received an anonymous letter in her mailbox on Tuesday.

“THE SCROOGES AMONG US!” the letter blares. “The honor, privilege and the huge responsibility of decorating houses is a decades old tradition that the residents of Candy Cane Lane and Lollipop Lane take very seriously.”

Zarra wrote that her mother, who had lost her battle with cancer in October, had made her decorations by hand.

“They are all her artwork and I am supposed to put them out for someones enjoyment while they cause me grief?” Zarra wrote. “YOU are the SCROOGE in this story.”

Candy Cane and Lollipop lanes in Vacaville, Calif., have been in the news in the past for their decorated homes.

“The past 4 months have been hard on my family. I was out of the state for 3 months caring for my mother who had stage 4 liver cancer,” Zarra wrote. “I had to handle everything before I could come home (on Dec. 1).”

Zarra received overwhelming support in comments made on her post.

“The letter-writer does NOT speak for our community,” wrote one person. “He’s using this community to hide behind and justify his cruelness.”

“Sorry Lyndia. Now, I have to apologize to my own neighbors for asking them to put lights up. I’m so sorry for the bullying you received,” wrote another.

Others noted that they respect those who choose not to hang decorations, whether for religious or other reasons.

“Unfortunately people feel the need to police everyone and look beyond their own life,” wrote one person.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 3:43 PM with the headline "She was shamed for not hanging Christmas decorations. She was grieving her mom’s death."