Every November I start getting the same question from people who are new to the community, and from families helping a parent who moved in this year: “When can we put the lights up?” It’s a fair question. If you lived in a regular neighborhood for 30 or 40 years, nobody told you when to decorate or where the reindeer could stand. In a 55+ community with shared lawns and Association care of the grounds, there are a few more rules for Leisure Village holiday decorations.

They’re not hard rules. Once you know them, decorating is easy. Everything below comes from the Association’s own Rules and Regulations (Update November 2025) and its Security page. Rules can change, so if something isn’t clear, call the Association Office before you hang anything.

When Leisure Village Holiday Decorations Can Go Up and Come Down

Rule 19.25 sets the holiday season as the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Here are the dates for this year:

Other holidays work a little differently. For the holidays listed below, decorations or flags can go up two weeks before the day and come down one week after. A few examples:

What if you celebrate something that isn’t on the list? Ask the Association Office about timing before you put it up. That one phone call saves a letter later.

Where Holiday Lights and Decorations Are Allowed

This is the part people get wrong most often, usually the roof. Here’s how rule 19.25 breaks it down, spot by spot:

The lawn rule is worth a second look. Rule 19.06 says nothing goes on the lawn or common area without Board approval, so the big inflatable snowman you had in your old front yard belongs in front of a flower bed here, within that two-foot line, or in storage. If you’re not sure which beds at your home are yours, my Leisure Village garden guide explains the red and yellow stakes.

Holiday Lights, Cords, and Safety

The rules are short on this, and every line of it makes sense. Here’s a checklist I’d keep by the box of lights:

• ✓Every electrical decoration and extension cord has to be UL approved for outdoor use. Look for the UL mark on the tag or box.
• ✓No cords on or across driveways or sidewalks. Plan your outlets before you start, so you’re not running a cord across the walk where a neighbor could trip.
• ✓Check your lights once a week, like the rules ask. Loose bulbs and frayed cords are easier to catch on a sunny afternoon than after a rainy night.
• ✓If your lights trip a circuit breaker, Leisure Village Security can help reset it. That’s one of the services listed on the Association’s Security page.
• ✓Thinking about a ladder? Get help. If you hire someone to hang lights, ask Security whether they need a contractor pass. Resident-hired contractors can’t start before 8 AM, have to stop by 5 PM, and don’t work on Sundays except in emergencies.

And when everything comes down in January, store it inside. Rule 19.05 keeps carports and patios clear of storage, except in closed, approved lockers.

Holiday Guests: Gate Passes, Long Visits, and the Grandkids

For most families, the holidays mean company. Leisure Village is guard-gated, so a little planning makes arrivals smoother for everyone. Here’s what the rules and the Security page say:

• ✓Short visits. A short-term guest pass lasts up to two weeks, and you, the resident host, approve it ahead of time (rule 3.05).
• ✓Frequent visitors. You can have up to three annual guest passes per home, for people who come often (rule 3.04).
• ✓Late arrivals. The Main Gate is open 24 hours a day. The East and West Gates close at 7 PM, including on weekends and holidays, so tell anyone landing late to use the Main Gate.
• ✓Long stays. Guests of any age can stay a total of 90 days in any 12 months, as long as the 55+ resident lives in the home too. My post on the Leisure Village age requirement explains that rule in full.
• ✓Parking. Visitors’ cars, RVs, and trucks each have their own rules. My Leisure Village parking and RV storage guide covers where guests can park overnight.

Taking the grandkids to the pool while they visit? The pool has its own hours and age rules for young swimmers, and my Leisure Village pool rules post has them all.

Holidays at the Recreation Center

Rule 9.25 keeps the recreational facilities open to residents on New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Family Day (the day after Thanksgiving), and Christmas. Two things to know before you plan a gathering there: no Recreation staff is on duty those days, and rooms can’t be reserved or set up for a party.

Clubs and groups often plan their own get-togethers this time of year, so check the Association’s Social Calendar. If you’re new, my guide to Leisure Village clubs and activities is a good place to find your people, and my Camarillo events post covers what’s going on in town.

Traveling for the Holidays? Ask for a Vacation Check

Plenty of residents spend the holidays with family out of town. The Association’s Security team lists vacation checks while residents are away among its services, and it runs vehicle and foot patrols around the clock. Call Security before you leave and let them know your dates.

Two more things before you lock up. Turn off or unplug outdoor lights you won’t be there to check, since the rules ask for weekly inspections. And if you’re leaving a car in the carport, make sure your vehicle decal is current. My post on Leisure Village security has more on how the gates and patrols work day to day.

Selling a Leisure Village Home During the Holidays

Families ask me whether to wait until January to list. My answer depends on the family, not the calendar. Some families list in the holiday season and some wait, and I’d rather look at the current numbers with you than guess. My post on the best time to buy or sell in Leisure Village goes deeper, and the monthly Leisure Village market report shows how many homes are selling right now.

If you do list in the holiday season, here’s how I’d handle Leisure Village holiday decorations:

• ✓Take listing photos before you decorate, or keep it to a wreath and some lights. Photos full of holiday decor look dated by February if the home is still on the market.
• ✓Keep the decorations inside the rules. A buyer walking up to a roofline full of lights may wonder what else in the home doesn’t follow the rules.
• ✓Clear walkways and keep cords off the sidewalk for showings. Buyers and their agents are walking up in the late afternoon, when it’s getting dark.
• ✓Know the sign rule. Rule 19.14 allows one real estate sign of up to six square feet, and it can’t be lit. Open house signs and flags aren’t allowed, which I explain in my post on open houses, signs, and escrow rules.
• ✓If you’re handling a parent’s home from out of town, someone still has to take the decorations down by January 13. I can connect you with trusted vendors who handle that kind of work, and we can schedule them for you.

For the full list of steps, from disclosures to the Association’s paperwork, start with my guide to selling your home in Leisure Village.

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Rules quoted from the Leisure Village Association’s Rules and Regulations (Update November 2025) and the Association’s Security page. Photos are stock images, not Leisure Village homes. Always confirm current rules with the Association Office.