Bloody outdoor Christmas lights!!!

[ThornAmongstRoses]

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

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

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...

[choli]

@DahliaMacNamara

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.

As a result of which your neighbor would probably leave them on.

[ShirleyPhallus]

Really really don’t get mumsnet sometimes. Why on earth does this need a whole thread with angsty thoughts of what to do.

Just go over and speak to them like a normal person....?!

[Invisimamma]

Just go and have a polite chat with them about it.

I got a new porch light, it was brighter than the old one and sensor activated, my dp works shifts and comes home all hours of the night. I didn't realise that when the light went off it was shining right into our opposite neighbours windows. They came to ask if we could dull it or put it on a timer. I was mortified I had caused them annoyance/discomfort and more than happy to alter the light so it didn't bother them.

You might get a pleasant response. I'd say 10pm is a reasonable time for Xmas lights to go off.

[MsTSwift]

Surely the joy of getting older is you get on and sort this type of thing and don’t sit at home hand wringing and saying you are a people pleaser! You don’t need to be aggressive. Most likely they are being thoughtless not malicious.

[SkepticalCat]

@notangelinajolie

I get that you don't like flashing lights and totally sympathise with you because my neighbours have some blue ones that look like the emergency services have landed.
But what I don't get is how can you see them when your eyes are shut?

Of course you can still detect bright light with your eyes closed... the skin on eyelids is very thin which allows light through. Otherwise, why would there be a market for blackout curtains, sleep eye masks etc?? Also, sunrise, or another form of light usually does a good job of waking people up.

[Bythepath]

We have lights up outside, they go off at 10pm on timer. My kids like changing the settings and so sometimes they flash, sometimes fade in and out etc. Last year my new neighbour came over and said they are epileptic so can we not use the flashing setting. We said of course. Unless you know them to be horrible people just go and speak to them.

[movingonup20]

Most here seem to go off about midnight (street lamps go off then too) that's reasonable, wouldn't expect them off earlier than 11 as people are still out and about, or would be if only they let the bloody pubs reopen (grrr tier 3!)

[Neron]

Just go over and speak to them like a normal person
Totally understand this thinking, but we are living in a selfish society. Many, many threads about neighbours where an OP has tried to speak to them and been told to F off. There are also many, many threads where the OP has had a neighbour knock on their door (usually noise related) and the hoards of posters are saying they need to F off, can do what they like in their own home etc.
Me personally, I'm wearing a mask as it's a few weeks a year. I'm also not bothered by knocking if I needed to - but not everyone is like that.

[HappydaysArehere]

@Inastatus

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!

Exactly that. Sure it will be okay if they are normal, decent people.

[Springersrock]

We had this with our neighbours last year. It wasn’t even particularly pretty. It just looked like they’d chucked every kind of flashing light they could lay their hands on at the front of their house.

If they were still on when I went to bed, I went over and asked them to turn them off.

She got very upset with me, but even with black out blinds and curtains our bedroom was like a disco, it was impossible to sleep

I think they’ve put them on a timer this year as they go at 10pm

[Simplyunacceptable]

Just to mention it to them. Tell them you love the lights but can they switch them off at night because it’s disturbing your sleep. Simple.

[squeekums]

Im surprised you do this in the middle of summer? I would have thought it's to brighten up the dark winter nights
Nope, its pretty popular here actually, most families tend to do a drive around of city or towns like lobethal to look at lights
Even out where we are, people still do it, our towns businesses run a lights comp too

www.lightsoflobethal.com.au/photos
That town is in the Adelaide hills, in normal years there a street parade, market stalls, light up celebration, food stalls
Most of the town take part, even this year, after the fires last Christmas and then corona, homes are still planning to light up, just no main street market, parade
People walk and drive the route like we always have. Some nights there are lines out the town

[RaspberryCoulis]

I stand by the point that any external lights are not for the benefit of the house's ocucpants, who can't see them!

It's all showy-offy LOOK AT ME WITH MY FLASHING LIGHTS.

[cooliebrown]

google gerry adams eddie izzard christmas lights tweet

[ThirstyGhost]

Is there some sort of history here with your neighbours? Otherwise just talk to them. Anonymous notes are v. passive aggressive and unlikely to get a result if talking to someone wouldn't work. Stand up for yourself - you'll feel better for it too.

[WhatAreWordsWorth]

Glad I’ve seen this thread - we have exactly the same with the house opposite us. Blue and bright white lights all over the house and hedges outside, mostly set on a fast-paced flashing setting that makes it look like there’s been a major incident on the street.

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason either, which somehow makes them even more annoying. Some nights they’re on all night, some nights they’re off completely, some nights some of the lights are left on but not others.

DH mentioned in passing to MIL that we were being kept awake and we were going to ask them to turn them off at night, to which MIL said we were being grinches so I’m glad to see that most on here share our opinion, not hers!

[DynamoKev]

Maybe when they ban fireworks as everyone on MN wants, they could also ban private individuals from having Christmas lights too. Council ones only in City Centres - organised only, like fireworks :)

[ThornAmongstRoses]

Well I went and knocked on the door earlier and when I asked if the lights could be turned off overnight as they are disturbing me (and I asked very nicely) he basically scowled and said that if we all had such a problem with them then we should all buy thicker curtains - and then went back inside.

I’m guessing from his use of plurals I’m not the first person to have said something.

Ah well, I tried.

[billybagpuss]

@ThornAmongstRoses

Well I went and knocked on the door earlier and when I asked if the lights could be turned off overnight as they are disturbing me (and I asked very nicely) he basically scowled and said that if we all had such a problem with them then we should all buy thicker curtains - and then went back inside.

I’m guessing from his use of plurals I’m not the first person to have said something.

Ah well, I tried.

Hopefully he’ll turn them off anyway, it sounds like you’re not alone and whilst you may have got the pissed of grump hopefully he’ll still listen.

[Yeahnahmum]

Talk to your neighbours ☺ and if it cant be resolved get some better curtains 😎

[DynamoKev]

It would be tragic if some of the low-voltage wires were chewed by rats -insulated- -pliers-

[Cygne]

@ThornAmongstRoses

Well I went and knocked on the door earlier and when I asked if the lights could be turned off overnight as they are disturbing me (and I asked very nicely) he basically scowled and said that if we all had such a problem with them then we should all buy thicker curtains - and then went back inside.

I’m guessing from his use of plurals I’m not the first person to have said something.

Ah well, I tried.

I'd definitely take that as a direct invitation to cut the wires.

[florascotia2]

What are you all doing with lights? Do you not have children? Unless your lights are not LED, do you not care about the future of the planet? Or the next generation(s)' future?
www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/nov/29/lucy-siegle-festive-lights-leds
and
globalnews.ca/news/3917698/reality-check-how-bad-are-christmas-lights-for-the-environment/

[SquirtleSquad]

What am I doing with them? Enjoying them.

[Lovemusic33]

@SquirtleSquad

What am I doing with them? Enjoying them.

Me too, I love lights, my dd has ASD and we often drive around the village and nearest town just to look at the lights, her face lights up (as does mine) and it makes us feel festive. This year more than any we need a bit of joy in our lives, it’s sad that some people want to suck the joy out of everything.

And of course we care about the planet but it’s only a few lights, for a few weeks?