Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bloody outdoor Christmas lights!!!

141 replies

ThornAmongstRoses · 01/12/2020 22:48

One of the houses opposite mine has put Christmas lights up all over the front of the house - which admittedly looks really pretty.

However, they leave them on all through the night, on one of the flashing settings, and my bedroom is like Blackpool Illuminations Sad

I’ve got continuous bright blue, red, green and white flashes of light coming through my curtains, under my curtains and around the sides of my curtains.

It’s so hard to sleep Sad

This is the 3rd night in a row now, I’m shattered, I’ve already had enough and the thought of this going on for another 4 weeks is killing me.

I know it’s their house to do with as they please....but it’s 22.45pm and surely it’s just considerate towards all the neighbours (I won’t be the only one affected by this) to at least turn your lights off overnight?

Am I being a humbug?

I’m going to have to buy some black out blinds aren’t I...

OP posts:
Gazelda · 01/12/2020 22:50

Can't you just go across and talk with them? Say you love the lights, but unfortunately they are keeping you awake at night, would they please put them on a timer to go off at 10pm?

LawnFever · 01/12/2020 22:50

I love all the lights people are putting up but this would keep me awake too 🙁 could you have a word with them, they probably just haven’t thought about it!

Take mince pies and explain, I’m sure they’ll understand - just ask if they can switch them off when they go to bed

Cherrysoup · 01/12/2020 22:50

So get blackout. If you can’t afford/find any, use an old duvet/sheets/sleeping bag. Or use an eye mask. We have cassette blinds plus shutters, plus blackout material. My DH works shifts.

BlenheimOrange · 01/12/2020 22:51

Yy to the blackout blinds but it will still come round the edges unless you get the sealed kind. Ask neighbours to put it on a static pattern at night instead of flashing?

Janaih · 01/12/2020 22:53

Just ask them if they would mind turning them off when they go to bed? Any reasonable person would do do if asked. Itll save them money too.

Alicatz66 · 01/12/2020 22:54

I love Christmas lights , I have mine up . But that would really piss me off ! .. it's a bit awkward but you might have to ask them to switch them off at bedtime .. Most people do. Mine are off by 10 !

Inastatus · 01/12/2020 22:54

Just go and have a chat to them. You shouldn’t need to buy black out blinds any more than they need to keep their outside lights on all night!

CoRhona · 01/12/2020 22:54

I turn ours off when I go to bed and don't think it's unreasonable they do that too.

YANBU 🎄

SquirtleSquad · 01/12/2020 22:56

Just bloody talk to them. Worst case if they say they fall asleep and forget pop down to home bargains and get a timer for a couple of quid, stick a bow on it and wish them a happy Christmas. Good communication = good neighbours.

AlrightTreacle · 01/12/2020 22:57

I know it’s their house to do with as they please....but it’s 22.45pm and surely it’s just considerate towards all the neighbours (I won’t be the only one affected by this) to at least turn your lights off overnight?

I'd assume my neighbours would have curtains that were fairly thick, or mention it to me if it was a problem.

I work overnight on calls and love seeing lights when I'm driving at 2/3/4/5am.

Fairyliz · 01/12/2020 22:58

I’m dreading our next door neighbours doing this like they did last year.
I’m laughing at all of the just go and talk to them responses, surely any reasonable person would realise that flashing lights would annoy people? Probably like our neighbours who just don’t care.

Namechange2020lalala · 01/12/2020 23:02

Put a polite note through their door?

Meatshake · 01/12/2020 23:02

We had this with our neighbours last year. Popped a Christmas card through their door with a very apologetic "cease and desist" note in it.

Step 2 was going to be using a gro blind, but turns out my neighbours are reasonable and turned their lights off overnight.

ButtWormHole · 01/12/2020 23:04

Ours are set to turn off at 10.30. I changed it from 11.30. Do you think this is too late and it should be earlier?

DahliaMacNamara · 01/12/2020 23:05

What kind of arsehole leaves flashing lights on all night? Ridiculous behaviour. I'd be hard-pressed to be pleasant enough to get the buggers to switch them off. Even if my tongue managed 'please' and 'if you wouldn't mind', my face would be screaming FUCKWIT.

Viviennemary · 01/12/2020 23:08

It's really inconsiderate to leave them on all night. Ask them to switch off before they go to bed.

Original poster
ThornAmongstRoses · 01/12/2020 23:09

They must know how much their lights are disturbing people - the whole crescent is glowing and flashing Grin

It’s like a fireworks display!

My guess is they just aren’t bothered. People who are considerate wouldn’t even think twice about turning crazy flashing lights off overnight.

Maybe I should put a note through the door. An anonymous one? I can’t say I fancy any backlash.

We have some flashing outdoor Christmas lights (well we will have once we put our decorations up) but they go off at 8pm at the absolute latest. There are a lot of families with children in my crescent so I don’t like to have them on past an average child’s bedtime really so as not to disturb them.

OP posts:
BluebellsGreenbells · 01/12/2020 23:11

Put your up before you put the note through the door.

Couldn’t possibly be you could it?

sweetkitty · 01/12/2020 23:16

Ours go off at 10. Most of them are set to static though as they drive me mad never mind the neighbours. I don’t have blackout blinds downstairs and it can be like a disco Grin

digthroughtheditches · 01/12/2020 23:17

Wonder if they haven't got them on a timer & forget they're on. I'd just mention it, they'll probably be mortified (I would anyway)

DesdemonaDryEyes · 01/12/2020 23:21

Chuck a brick through the window with a note attached asking them to turn the lights off.

HollyandIvyandallthingsYule · 01/12/2020 23:22

Get yourself a sleep mask. It will help a lot and it’s cheaper than curtains.

Henio · 01/12/2020 23:25

They shouldn't be leaving them on when they go to bed anyway, massive fire hazard

LittleCabbage · 01/12/2020 23:29

Urrrgh, I hate flashing lights - so aggressive and un-Christmassy. I love Christmas lights, but gentle, static ones. I don’t mind a slow twinkling though.