Despite the holiday season, residents have adorned the Westbank’s branches with more Chaps-themed helmets and footballs than holly or ivy.

And neither businesses nor residents have to worry about any sign ordinance violations for proudly displaying their school spirit on lawns or windows in the days before Westlake faces Euless Trinity for the Class 5A Division I state championship.

“I can say with a high degree of confidence that any signs supporting the Chaps this week will be strangely invisible to our city inspectors,” West Lake Hills mayor Dave Claunch said.

Rollingwood mayor Dale Dingley echoed that sentiment.

“I think it’s only appropriate that we show the Chaps that the community is behind them 110 percent,” Dingley said. “I’m asking that we all look the other way for the next week.”

Claunch has taken it a step further to put his clothing where his mouth is, so to speak. He’s arranged with the mayor of Euless, Texas, a friendly wager – the loser must wear the opposing team’s jersey to the next council meeting.

Westlake’s main thoroughfare already has its colors out, as the Chap Club parents have been hanging red, white and blue ribbons on every visible tree up and down Bee Cave Road.

“All the red ribbons that you see everywhere are in honor of the football team,” said Chap Club co-president Stacey Price. “The football parents have been working on it for awhile, but the past two weeks for a couple of ladies – that’s all they’ve done.”

Residents will have ample opportunity to show their school colors as the Chaps Merchandise Store inside the stadium will be open from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

Tickets will be on sale all week long from 7 a.m.-noon, $12 for adults and $8 for students, at the Chaparral Stadium office. The new state playoff T-shirts will be available there Wednesday-Friday.

After decking out themselves and their homes with Chap gear, fans can swing into The Village at Westlake Chick-fil-A parking lot at 5 p.m. Friday, where the cheerleaders will adorn car windows with Chap spirit. At 6:30 p.m. that night, the community can get pepped with a rally at the same location.

“The other big thing is our send-off,” Price said. “We really want a huge send-off where we have cars just lined up along Camp Craft Road and Westbank Drive.”

With the bus leaving from WHS at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, supporters should show up at the high school between 9-9:15 a.m. to form a human chain from the high school onto Camp Craft Road.

The bus will drive down Camp Craft Road, taking a right at Westbank Drive, then hitting Loop 360 to get on to the highway for anyone planning a cheering section along the route.

Anyone attending the game should wear red in order to red out the stadium.

The Westlake vs. Trinity showdown for the Class 5A Div. I state championship is set for  2 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome in  San Antonio.