Annual Halloween displays in front yards are a matter of taste and personal choice. Some people like to have flying bats, spider webs and a ghost or two, while others tend to go for grave-yard scenes, corpses and fake blood. But in one area of Kirkland neighbors are losing their heads over a Halloween display.

Police were called to a home in the North Rose Hill neighborhood Wednesday after a neighbor complained about the display. Part of the display was of a zombie hanging from a tree by a noose in the front yard of the home. Police said that they came out to make sure it was not a hate crime. The display was set up by the family’s 19-year-old daughter Emily Anderson.

“We don’t want people to think we hate people of other races cause we don’t,” said Chris Brown, Anderson’s mother. “She was just having some fun. We don’t want our fun to be at the expense of anyone else.”

Police said that there is no law or city code that covers hanging dummies, so the display is legal under Kirkland law. But one neighbor didn’t approve.

“I think that display is inappropriate in a family neighborhood or anyplace else,” Mary Sailada told King 5 news. Sailada was not available for comment when the Reporter attempted to contact her.

The family had a different point of view.

“I think someone doesn’t like Halloween,” said Brown.

The complexion of the hanging zombie is dark in tone but not meant to be anything more than a Halloween display, said Brown.

“My daughter was just having fun,” said her mother, who suspects that Sailada was the one who called police. “We have a good relationship with her and it just hurts that she could not just come and talk to us about it and felt she had to call the cops. It hurts that she thinks we would do something like that.”

Brown said that her daughter bought the mask at the Dollar Store trying to keep the cost down and pointed out that the house is also decorated inside, with streamers and other Halloween props for Anderson’s holiday party. The rest of the yard is decorated with a grave yard and yellow tape that reads “Caution Danger.”

Brown said that other neighbors have expressed their appreciation for their holiday spirit.

“We have had a lot of compliments from neighborhood kids and neighbors, saying ‘this is cool,'” said Brown.

Those sentiments were expressed by neighbor Monica Matthews to King 5 News: “I actually was shocked why the police were over there. It’s a shame somebody was having a bad day and had to complain. I don’t think they mean anything by it. They just get into the holidays.”

Brown said that her family likes to get into the holiday spirit. Halloween is not the only holiday that they dress up their house for.

“At Christmas time we like to put out our reindeer and lights,” said Brown.

There was one element of the Halloween display that Anderson’s mother did not approve of: “I was upset cause I thought it was up early,” she said, adding, “I think that all the hullabaloo will blow over. We have had a lot of compliments and just one complaint.”

The zombie in question still hangs in the families front yard.