The Minnesota woman who was blasted for her 'harmful' Christmas light display is a nurse on a coronavirus ward - who says the festive decorations help cheer her up.
Kim Hunt, who resides in St. Anthony, put up simple string lights outside her home last weekend before she received a nasty letter from an anonymous neighbor who railed against the festive decorations.
'I couldn't help but notice your Christmas light display,' the letter read.
'The idea of twinkling, colorful lights are a reminder of divisions that continue to run through our society, a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don't celebrate Christmas or who can't afford to put up lights of their own.'
Speaking with DailyMail.com, Hunt said she has been left 'bewildered and sad' by the note, and has no idea who the author could be.
'My simple light display gives me joy when I come home from working on the Covid unit at a local hospital,' she stated.
'I think it's sad we can't all appreciate diversity and celebrate traditions of all people. '
Hunt also revealed that three other residents on her block also received the same letter in their mailboxes after putting up festive decorations outside their homes.
The local nurse says she has been inundated with support after she posted a photo of the letter to social media.
A GoFundMe has also been set up to supply Christmas lights to homes along the street, while Hunt says a local company has offered to come and install festive decorations for free.
Supporters are now decorating their homes in solidarity, including a friend in Arizona, who put up an elaborate Yuletide display to spite the letter writer.
The Minnesota resident who was blasted for her 'harmful' Christmas light display has been identified as a local COVID-19 nurse Kim Hunt. Hunt received this letter in her mailbox on Monday
Hunt put up simple string lights outside her home last weekend before she received a nasty letter from an anonymous neighbor who railed against the festive decorations
One Arizona woman said she put up extra lights on her home after hearing of the note.
'The letter did make me somewhat upset because it's not a true representation of what I believe people feel right now. I grew up without a lot of money, yet one of our family traditions was to go out on Christmas Eve after Mass and look at other people's Christmas lights. I have friends who aren't religious yet they appreciate the art of Christmas lights as well,' the woman stated.
'I don't really think it has anything to do with that. The "I can't have it so you can't have it" offended-by-everything mentality is so sad and especially in a year where everyone is looking for something uplifting, there's no reason to shame those who do enjoy this type of thing. '
An Arizona woman added extra lights to her home (pictured) after hearing of the the letter received by Kim Hunt
The letter, which went viral after it was shared on Tuesday, further states: 'We must do work of educating ourselves about the harmful impact an outward facing display like yours can have.'
The unknown author of the letter then goes on to 'challenge' homeowners to 'respect the dignity of all people' and 'learn from differences, ideas and opinions of our neighbors'.
'We must come together collectively and challenge institutional inequities; St. Anthony is a community welcoming of all people and we must demand better of ourselves'.
The letter was immediately met with backlash on social media, with many pointing out that the author ironically did not seem 'welcoming' of neighbors who wanted to celebrate Christmas by decorating their homes.
Former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Derek Anderson chimed in, stating: 'Saw this coming a long time ago. 'If I can't have it nobody can' or 'If they have it we all deserve it'. That's not life.'
Others said that the letter made them want to send more Christmas lights to the homeowner in St. Anthony so that they could double down on their display.
'If this guy wants to Clark Griswald his house this weekend, I'll lend him a hand,' one wrote, referring to the 1989 film The National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, in which the lead character decks out his house in twinkle lights.
Supporters are now decorating their homes in solidarity, including a friend in Arizona, who put up an elaborate Yuletide display to spite the letter writer. Stock image
The letter was immediately met with backlash on social media
Another wrote: 'They should 1: Light it [their home] up like a football field, and 2: Have the letter projected on to their garage door with a cutout of The Grinch pointing at it'.
'People have lost it,' a third person added.
'Love the lights and the holiday spirit, whatever you celebrate. It is about the good in all of us and celebrating that. I was just thinking I need more [lights] next year and then I read this. Now I definitely need more. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!'
Others who were Jewish and Hindu chimed in saying they enjoyed seeing Christmas light displays, and sent out their best wishes to those who were celebrating the holiday.
Christmas displays are popular with Americans, regardless of whether they celebrate the holiday or not
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