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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that Christmas lights are "tacky and common" but not these ones?

66 replies

LunaLoveg00d · 09/12/2016 12:48

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/09/professional-elves-told-christmas-lights-tacky-common/

Article about two women who live in the separate halves of a semi and get together to put lights around their house at Christmas. They have received a letter - probably from a neighbour - to say that their lights are "tacky and common". When reading the article I was expecting to see some flashing reindeers and perhaps an inflatable Homer Simpson, but they're actually quite restrained.

I do find lots of lights tacky and common though....

OP posts:

wasonthelist · 09/12/2016 14:29

You'd be happy to live opposite a house where every inch was covered with flashing Santa figures and reindeers then

I would, it's only once a year - if they want to do that I couldn't give a fuck - it's their house - why do you think you are the taste police. I bet there's plenty of stuff in your house I don't care for.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/12/2016 14:35

Having said that my children get endless fun at this time of year trying to see who can spot the naffest house when we're out in teh car.

wasonthelist · 09/12/2016 14:35

I'd love to know what the intersection is between the "errgh look at those tacky lights" types and the "ban fireworks" posse and the "tattoos are common and tacky" crowd.

Flingmoo · 09/12/2016 14:39

I don't think it's necessarily judgemental or snobbish to say they look rubbish. Just because I'm judging your Christmas decorations but that doesn't mean I'm judging you as a person. Everyone has different tastes. I might not like your taste in music or the colour of your sofa but it doesn't mean that I think you're a piece of shit

I'm sure some people think all my Ikea furniture is tacky and rubbish and that's fine, happy for them to air their interior decor opinions on the internet if that's what floats their boat. Trouble is garish flashing Christmas lights on the outside of a house are very eye catching and hard to miss! Its not like nosing in through someone's window and judging their wallpaper... Outdoor decorations that flashy are basically asking to be judged!

Chipsandonionrings · 09/12/2016 14:42

At my old house the owner used to spend a month decorating every inch of the outside of his house and garden with flashing, musical lights Inc a 6ft singing Santa. People used to drive by - it was a local attraction and even thru my thick curtains I could see it. It never bothered me as every year he raised hundreds for charity - his elec bill would have be immense as this was before led bulbs.

We don't decorate our house but love driving around with the dc to see everyone's efforts.

I think the original house in the telegraph article was quite tasteful.

Original poster

LunaLoveg00d · 09/12/2016 14:46

I'd love to know what the intersection is between the "errgh look at those tacky lights" types and the "ban fireworks" posse and the "tattoos are common and tacky" crowd.

You can put me in the group of hating tacky lights and tattoos, but loving fireworks.

OP posts:

SnatchedPencil · 09/12/2016 14:56

It wouldn't bother me to live next door to someone who decorates their house to an extreme degree. No matter how "tacky" it was or how "common" I thought it looked, I would have to accept that it was their home and they can decorate it to whatever extent they choose. It would be different if they were making it into some sort of charity attraction of course, but in that case my annoyance would be over the volume of visitors to the street rather than the lights themselves.

I would bother me to receive an anonymous note though. That is unacceptable, very passive-aggressive and not at all nice. The idiot who wrote that should be tracked down and publicly identified, if they have a problem with how someone else has decorated their home they should be grown up enough to discuss it with them in person!

I would certainly rather live opposite someone who spent a month's salary on Xmas decorations than someone who put anonymous notes through peoples' letterboxes. Or had a badly-maintained burglar alarm. Or a noisy dog. If lights offend you that much, you can draw your curtains at about 4 o'clock!

Jabuticaba · 09/12/2016 14:56

What makes Light Close common is that is EXACTLY like every other close in the UK, it's not Belgravia FFS. The lights spruce it up a bit. Jeez they're neighbours with a delusional Grinch.

SnatchedPencil · 09/12/2016 14:58

I would bother me to receive an anonymous note though.

Obviously I meant, "It would bother me." But as written it applies too - I would indeed "bother" myself over receiving such a note!

LagunaBubbles · 09/12/2016 15:42

Having said that my children get endless fun at this time of year trying to see who can spot the naffest house when we're out in teh car

Sounds like a good old jolly day out!

I couldn't care less about what others think of my Christmas lights, I certainly don't judge people that don't decorate and I'm glad I'm bringing up my children to accept the world is made up of different people and not to sneer at others whos choices are different that's for sure.

corythatwas · 09/12/2016 16:05

Wouldn't worry me, but somebody mentioned flashing lights as migraine triggers; could they also trigger epilepsy?

House on my way from work has a very restrained set of lights in three trees in the garden, it just enhances the shape of those trees and I think it's beautiful.

BurnTheBlackSuit · 09/12/2016 16:12

One of our Christmas traditions is to go for a walk around the neighbourhood to look at people's Christmas lights. We love it!

CozumelFox · 09/12/2016 16:14

I like a house nicely done in lights. They've just strung up a line. It doesn't look 'common', but it does look half-hearted.

LarrytheCucumber · 09/12/2016 16:19

The 'most sought after ' road in our little town is a riot of colour at this time of year and people go on walks along it just to see the lights.

ElfOnMyShelf · 09/12/2016 16:32

We play christmas light bingo, a house like that would really help us out!!!
I love driving round looking at all the lights. I don't think its 'tacky' or 'common' (a phrase i loath). Its just different tastes surely?

BlackeyedSusan · 09/12/2016 17:14

common just means there are a lot of them about.

I love lights. I love a lot of lights. there is a certain point that crosses the line though. We all have different levels of what looks great and what does not.

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