Today’s five hand-picked stories cover the Republican point man on impeachment, Delaware’s efforts to make a fairer justice system, resilience amid the Venice floods, a Lebanese warlord’s path to progress, and Venezuela’s musical gift to Argentina. 

First, a homeowners' association in San Antonio, Texas, figured they were justified in asking the Simonis family to remove their Christmas decorations from the front lawn. After all, who puts out an inflatable snowman on Nov. 1? Way too early, right?

But here’s the catch: Claudia Simonis is eight months pregnant with their third child. The couple figured they’d get the decorations up sooner rather than later. When the HOA disagreed, Ms. Simonis posted the cease & desist notice on the neighborhood Facebook page. 

I’m not a fan of the ever-earlier commercial creep of Christmas. But in my book pregnant moms get a pass on most things. And homeowners' associations can be obnoxiously rules-oriented. It turns out this HOA has no written rules about the timing of holiday decorations. And the Simonis family has apparently spurred a minirebellion: Some neighbors are backing them by putting Christmas decorations on their own lawns. 

We’re not talking a pro-democracy protest movement here – more of a social-media fueled Inflated Santa Spring. But there’s something irresistible about that kind of neighborly support and etiquette disobedience.

Too early for whimsical representations of joy? Maybe. But that little robot snowman that goes on my newsroom desk each year – I just pulled it out.