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Original poster

Neighbours complaining about reindeer food

388 replies

wasteful26 · 26/12/2025 23:45

Elder dc bought a bag of porridge on Xmas Eve to mix with glitter with their younger siblings and put out for the “reindeer”
As dc do on Xmas Eve they got carried away and as well as putting the food in our front garden they sprinkled it on the public road.
A neighbour who we do not know by name but to smile at had posted on the local FB page complaining about the mess which went over our heads but he then confronted dh in the street today when he was getting in his car.
Because of the old dry weather the porridge is still laying in the street.
Dh being his usual non diplomatic self wasn’t exactly friendly towards neighbour.
Ive no intentions of going out with a brush and shovel for what is a few handfuls of oats and it’s to rain in the next few days anyway but am wondering if this is something that others would be upset about in their street?

OP posts:
MidnightMeltdown · 27/12/2025 00:32

YABU. Why do you think it’s ok to let your kids make a mess in the street and not clean it up? Bet you’re also one of those parents who lets your kids run screaming around restaurants and coffee shops and doesn’t tell them off.

Eviebeans · 27/12/2025 00:36

We are lucky enough to have muntjac deers visit our garden regularly-we leave carrots and apples out for them - they really seem to like them so maybe leave a carrot out next year

Dontgochasingrainbows · 27/12/2025 00:42

I think its pretty obvious what type of people the OP and her husband are......and the cycle will continue with their kids. Sad really.

blueumbrella2016 · 27/12/2025 00:46

your kids are going to feel foolish when they grow up and realise you tricked them about non-existent reindeer

Moveoverdarlin · 27/12/2025 00:48

Would I want porridge outside my house? Nope. If I walked past that I would assume it was a pile of vomit. Get the washing up bowl, fill it up with warm water and fairly liquid throw it on said porridge and then get a sweeping brush to clean it away.

Just clean up your mess.

YippyKiYay · 27/12/2025 00:49

That's not reindeer food, it's litter. Reindeer eat grass (and hay). OP should clean up the mess her kids have made.
We fed Rudolph and the others with lovely fresh grass clippings, no complaints at our place, Santa came on time every year with large presents (in Australia, so we are at the start of the run).
Glitter is just trashy

Silverbirchtable · 27/12/2025 00:50

You should clear it up. It’s a ridiculous trend to chuck glitter and oats around to feed magical animals while actively harming local wildlife. Yes, YABU to not clear it but to have done it to start with makes you thoughtless and silly. Do what other, less self involved people do and put a carrot on a plate. Our kids had a magical Christmas without aggravating neighbours or injuring other birds and wildlife.

Daygloboo · 27/12/2025 00:52

wasteful26 · 26/12/2025 23:45

Elder dc bought a bag of porridge on Xmas Eve to mix with glitter with their younger siblings and put out for the “reindeer”
As dc do on Xmas Eve they got carried away and as well as putting the food in our front garden they sprinkled it on the public road.
A neighbour who we do not know by name but to smile at had posted on the local FB page complaining about the mess which went over our heads but he then confronted dh in the street today when he was getting in his car.
Because of the old dry weather the porridge is still laying in the street.
Dh being his usual non diplomatic self wasn’t exactly friendly towards neighbour.
Ive no intentions of going out with a brush and shovel for what is a few handfuls of oats and it’s to rain in the next few days anyway but am wondering if this is something that others would be upset about in their street?

Last summer ppl in flat downstairs had a kids party. Noisy and messy but on their grass, so didnt mind. Then went onto public path outside the flats and spraying string everywhere until the whole path was a complete mess for about 10 feet along. Didnt clear up and it was there for a week. I just thought why ? Yours doesnt sound as bad but even so why wouldnt you be considerate on shared space. Why do you think your need for mess trumps someone else's need for a tidy communal area.

NewGoldDream2026 · 27/12/2025 00:54

A lot of parents seem to act like whatever their own kids do is fine, and anybody who has a problem with their crappy behaviour is the problem.

I’ll bet OP wouldn’t be cool with an adult neighbour who’d consumed too much Christmas spirit vomiting over or near her fence…she’d want that cleaned up immediately.

Homegrownberries · 27/12/2025 00:55

What you've actually done is spread rat food all over your garden.

Theroadt · 27/12/2025 00:57

wasteful26 · 26/12/2025 23:50

Dc didn’t go into the street they were sprinkling/throwing around the garden so anything over the fence is “overspill”

You’re not answering the issue about glitter and harm to wildlife, though. The porridge isn’t a big thing imho, but non-edible glitter is a serious no-no and you shouldn’t be encouraging kids to use it.

Franjipanl8r · 27/12/2025 00:58

Glitter = plastic pollution that’s terrible for the environment.

Gremlins101 · 27/12/2025 01:00

My kids brought it home from preschool and school the past few years. Ours goes on a plate outside the door because who wants to put glitter in the garden? That's nuts.

angelcake20 · 27/12/2025 01:00

Soggy porridge on the pavement sounds disgusting and glitter is really bad for the environment, particularly if animals try to eat the porridge. Definitely wasn’t a great idea all round.

MyCrushWithEyeliner · 27/12/2025 01:04

Stop being a lazy fucker and clean it up

Winterburn · 27/12/2025 01:06

Why the fuck are you throwing glitter on the floor?? Why are the oats not enough?

What is it with today’s moronic “trends” that everyone has to do. Stop littering. Leave a carrot on the side like we did 20 years ago, and put it back in the fridge after!

Newsflash, reindeer don’t eat glitter. Nor do the other poor creatures.

Bellavida99 · 27/12/2025 01:07

please clear it up and don’t be so ignorant next year. Not sure why you can’t just leave a carrot for the reindeer but if you need to do it next year leave a little handful of oats and sugar sprinkles on a saucer. It’s wasteful and sounds like you used loads if the kids were flinging it around. Vermin, micro plastics, waste and mess. Why would you do that. And why would you not clear it up. As parents why on earth didn’t you say they only need a tiny handful and they can’t eat glitter? Very poor guidance from you.

AgnesMcDoo · 27/12/2025 01:09

Good grief there are so many miserable arseholes on MN

Anywherebuthere · 27/12/2025 01:10

YABU. Your reindeer food is a invite to mice and rats. Not surprised the neighbour is annoyed.

Why would you leave it on a public road to create a soggy mess in the rain.

MidnightMeltdown · 27/12/2025 01:11

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Namechangerage · 27/12/2025 01:12

God, what a stupid tradition. What’s wrong with just leaving out a mince pie and a carrot for gods sake?! The kids should not have made any “overspill” and tbh even having it in the garden is annoying. The porridge can attract unwanted animals and the glitter can harm said animals. Not being a scrooge, I do all the activities including elves, leaving treats for Santa, just all within our home so it a) doesn’t cause a nuisance to anyone else b) doesn’t make a mess on public right of way and c) doesn’t potentially harm local wildlife or attract rats.

Namechangerage · 27/12/2025 01:14

AgnesMcDoo · 27/12/2025 01:09

Good grief there are so many miserable arseholes on MN

No. I created plenty of magical moments for my kids without spreading porridge oats on a public path and glitter which harms local wildlife. It’s not hard to avoid this shit, there are so many other things you can do.

HedgehogTiggyWinkle · 27/12/2025 01:16

I would be very upset if one of my family became sick through eating glitter.

HedgehogTiggyWinkle · 27/12/2025 01:18

Poor thing

Neighbours complaining about reindeer food
LancashireButterPie · 27/12/2025 01:19

Nothing says "festive" like throwing microplastics all over the street.