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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

The lodger keeps changing the fairy lights setting on my Xmas tree...

120 replies

BassAce · 06/12/2015 20:18

I've had my Xmas tree up since the last weekend in November, at the request of my two DS's (5 and 3). Also at their request the fairy lights on said tree are set to 'twinkling' mode.

I also have a temporary lodger. In so many ways he's a lovely man, and a very welcome bit of adult company in the house since my ex-H left us two Christmases ago....
HOWEVER. Every single time I leave him alone in the house (or go up to bed before him of an evening), he takes it upon himself to switch the fairy lights off twinkling to just being plain on all the time. Fair enough, maybe he hates the flashing (he's not epileptic, i did check!) and when hes alone in the house he should be able to do whatever he likes. BUT he never cycles through the twelve settings on the lights to put them back how I want them for when I return.

It's such a stupid thing, but it's really beginning to give me the rage every morning having to set the lights back to how my children want them on MY tree in MY house. Surely he could just switch them off at the plug if he doesn't want to see them twinkling?! I don't want to fall out with him, but my current level of rage over this tiny stupid thing makes me feel like I can't even speak to him about it right now. And leaving a note asking him not to touch them seems daft. AIBU?! Do I just need to grow up and get over it? I fear I'm just a little unused to sharing my house space with other people and im being a mardy Christmas grouch. So Mumsnet jury... would this annoy you too or am I a dick?! Grin

OP posts:
FireCrotch · 07/12/2015 18:45

My neighbour has blue lights in her window. They're permanently set to on...off...on...off...on...off... ON/OFF/ON/OFF/ON/OFF Its like there's a riot and the rozzers have arrived tooled up to fuck.

JapaneseSlipper · 07/12/2015 19:50

"when did flashing become twinkling?"

Exactly this. Flashing is not twinkling!

If every light individually glimmers gently, and gives the impression of a night sky, then YANBU and your lodger should leave them alone - and where did you get your fairy lights, as I've been looking for some that do that?

However, if (as we all suspect) you actually mean that your lights are set to flash starkly on and off, then YABVU, even if your kids do like it.

JapaneseSlipper · 07/12/2015 19:53

PS just googled.

"twinkle
ˈtwɪŋk(ə)l verb

  1. (of a star or light, or a shiny object) shine with a gleam that changes constantly from bright to faint."

I take twinkling very seriously, as you can see.

reni2 · 07/12/2015 20:01

I saw fairy lights like that today in a pound shop. They played a jolly tune, too, I thought of your tree, OP. A tinny rendition of jingle bells combined with the strobes could top it.

6o6o842 · 07/12/2015 21:22

I love twinkling lights!

BorderTerrierControl · 07/12/2015 21:37

Am ALMOST beginning to feel bad....

Your twinkling is bad, and you should feel bad.

It will be a lot easier to tolerate the 12 twists that switch the light back to twinkle mode if you accept that having them twinkling most of the time is a recognised form of torture. Generally used when trying to break new SAS recruits in the very final stage of training. Sleep deprivation, unspeakable acts of degradation and twinkly Christmas lights.

On a separate note I think 'flashing' becomes 'twinkling' on December the 1st. So yes, we're in twinkle territory.

Christina22xx · 07/12/2015 21:43

i do think you are being a bit unreasonable, flashing lights can be very annoying, he prob just forgets to change it or doesnt even think about it.
He is your lodger but he is paying (im assuming) to live their so he should be able to change the tree settings if he wants, it isnt a big deal.

landrover · 08/12/2015 09:00

Plug the tree into a timer, so it switches off at your bedtime, sorted x

BassAce · 17/12/2015 16:06

Thanks for all the responses. Took a while to get back on here.... because the bastard in lodger broke the toilet and flooded the house whilst we were away for the weekend. I guess that's me told how he feels about flashing/twinkling lights. £50,000+ worth of destruction.
Being told I can't stay in my property for three months plus while it dries out.
Most of my possessions and all my Xmas presents ruined.

People of Mumsnet.com be VERY aware. The hatred of twinkling lights is a serious thing and can have hideous consequences

I must surely win some Mumsnet Top Trumps prize for the most karmically revenge AIBU post ever?!!! Sad

OP posts:
DamnCommandments · 17/12/2015 16:07

Oh noooo. Noooo. Oh man.

DamnCommandments · 17/12/2015 16:09

Did he not realise? Why didn't he DO something?

DamnCommandments · 17/12/2015 16:13

Do you have insurance taking care of it (and will they sue him)? Please say yes.

PuppyMonkey · 17/12/2015 16:17

Was he trying to flush the twinkly lights down there? Wink

Sorry I hope you'll still have a merry one. ThanksChocolateBrewWineCake

londonrach · 17/12/2015 16:22

Baseace im very sorry. Have Wine. Im sorry i know its a mess etc but your last post just made me laugh. Yes you win the mn revenge award 2016. Hope you have insurance. Did the lights survive?

Stuffofawesome · 17/12/2015 16:34
Shock
TheWildRumpyPumpus · 17/12/2015 17:20

Oh no! Happened to a friend of mine - crack in an upstairs cistern leaked for an entire weekend before it was spotted and they were out of their house for 14 weeks Shock

Hope your insurance replaces everything for you OP and you still have a good Xmas

BassAce · 17/12/2015 20:26

You know what really sucks? The bloody lights survived lmao

OP posts:
BassAce · 17/12/2015 20:29

(Should clarify though, I DO have insurance, so it's not all doom and gloom. And in three or four months ill have a beautiful new freshly decorated house on two of the three floors.)

Will never set lights to twinkle setting again.

OP posts:
Jux · 17/12/2015 21:15
Grin

But I'm really sorry about your current circs, obviously.🍾 (That's an extra bottle to cheer your Xmas a bit.)

reni2 · 17/12/2015 21:28

Give the twinkly lights as a parting gift to the (now presumably ex-) lodger.

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