Page 4 | Weird dolls hanging on neighbours tree?

sandyfroglets · 2022-12-11T22:57:00+00:00

Unsure what this is for but they keep adding more rag dolls to their tree in their front garden. It's really creeping my children out. They are hanging with other objects like wooden rings and ribbons. Is it some kind of pagan thing? No idea but it's bloody weird... Aibu to ask them what it's for!? We live in a quiet little part outside of a city. Nothing unusual goes on here!

Isthatmcormac · 12/12/2022 00:01

sandyfroglets · 11/12/2022 23:56

@Isthatmcormac oh my lord.

@sandyfroglets 🤣 I like that it blurs all the faces as if it’s a crowd 😅

Original poster

sandyfroglets · 12/12/2022 00:01

@Isthatmcormac hahaha yes must protect their identities

OP posts:

Mirabai · 12/12/2022 00:02

They could just be British and into woo but they may be from a culture that has shamanic/voodoo practices - eg S.America, Africa, parts of E.Europe.

ReedRite · 12/12/2022 00:05

Sweet Baby Jesus, that’s the creepiest thing I’ve seen in years 😱

Pineapplebread · 12/12/2022 00:07

TutiFrutti · 12/12/2022 00:00

See I thought this thread was amusing until you said Hampshire and now I won't sleep!
Have checked out the neighbours though and thankfully all totally mainstream here 😅

But have you checked for them under your bed?👀

yoyo1234 · 12/12/2022 00:09

I'm not going to be able to sleep well now 😫😥

QS90 · 12/12/2022 00:12

@Onnabugeisha That's so interesting!! And yeah I could totally seeing artsy / political types doing something like this in current climate...

OP I've seen quite a few "Wishing Trees" about, for example there's a big one in Avebury (about as Pagan as it gets). People leave offerings of ribbons, ornaments, decorations they've made.... but never creepy dolls like these 😬

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 12/12/2022 00:12

Cloutie rags are left to honour the spirit ancestors or Mother Earth. They are more usually left by sacred wells - there's a tree hung with these by a well not far from where I live.

I've never seen anything remotely resembling the weird ritual hanging of creepy dolls, although I once a encountered a stung-up elf on a shelf in a nearby wood...

Onnabugeisha · 12/12/2022 00:20

QS90 · 12/12/2022 00:12

@Onnabugeisha That's so interesting!! And yeah I could totally seeing artsy / political types doing something like this in current climate...

OP I've seen quite a few "Wishing Trees" about, for example there's a big one in Avebury (about as Pagan as it gets). People leave offerings of ribbons, ornaments, decorations they've made.... but never creepy dolls like these 😬

@QS90
Ive been to that tree in Avebury many times since I was a small child. I know it well. Used to love sitting on its roots swinging my legs while eating a sandwich.
I low key want to be buried under a tree and it become a wishing tree.

TutiFrutti · 12/12/2022 00:24

Pineapplebread · 12/12/2022 00:07

But have you checked for them under your bed?👀

Show quote history

Pack it in! 😂(sending dh to check under the bed and in the wardrobes) 😬

EmmaAgain22 · 12/12/2022 00:28

I thought the rags were to help heal the sick?

Suboptimalsitch · 12/12/2022 00:34

Good luck with Nextdoor. Ours is full of missing cats, moaning about bad parking and footage of attempted break-ins. But it might give some clue as to your creepy doll situation.

PepsiMaxAholic · 12/12/2022 00:34

@TutiFrutti It might be like a Toy Story type thing and they come to life at night. 😂

vodkaredbullgirl · 12/12/2022 00:35

Now that is fucking 1 creepy doll, it will be Annabelle next lol

HoppingPavlova · 12/12/2022 00:39

It’s likely hoodoo/voodoo/vodou. Given they are hanging from a tree outside it’s likely they are meant to attract protective spirits- so to protect house and occupants. Could also be trying to attract healing spirits.

Otherwise, they may have had someone/people recently die and are using the dolls to try and connect with them as that’s common in this religion and known to do via dolls in trees. Or maybe they have just had some interest in connecting with ancestors for some reason and are trying this. Only they know really.

Or maybe something else altogether but put money on the above if betting. Don’t balls up to their door and ask them as that’s a dick move and whoever said to ask them to take them down, pull your head in. It’s not my thing but we all have different belief systems and do things differently.

TutiFrutti · 12/12/2022 00:43

PepsiMaxAholic · 12/12/2022 00:34

@TutiFrutti It might be like a Toy Story type thing and they come to life at night. 😂

😳😂

Original poster

sandyfroglets · 12/12/2022 00:43

HoppingPavlova · 12/12/2022 00:39

It’s likely hoodoo/voodoo/vodou. Given they are hanging from a tree outside it’s likely they are meant to attract protective spirits- so to protect house and occupants. Could also be trying to attract healing spirits.

Otherwise, they may have had someone/people recently die and are using the dolls to try and connect with them as that’s common in this religion and known to do via dolls in trees. Or maybe they have just had some interest in connecting with ancestors for some reason and are trying this. Only they know really.

Or maybe something else altogether but put money on the above if betting. Don’t balls up to their door and ask them as that’s a dick move and whoever said to ask them to take them down, pull your head in. It’s not my thing but we all have different belief systems and do things differently.

Thank you!

I walk my toddler around and past their house quite frequently; I was going to knock and ask them out of curiosity but maybe I wont then!

OP posts:

Onnabugeisha · 12/12/2022 00:48

@HoppingPavlova
Otherwise, they may have had someone/people recently die and are using the dolls to try and connect with them as that’s common in this religion and known to do via dolls in trees.

I thought that this was done by nailing one doll to a tree in a graveyard…..you’d never hang several dolls in a tree outside your home for sending messages to the spirit world.

heartbroken22 · 12/12/2022 00:48

What if their kids made it and you've got the wrong end of the stick?

heartbroken22 · 12/12/2022 00:48

Some of you have watched too many horror movies

EpicChaos · 12/12/2022 00:51

" @seeyouinanotherlifewhenwearebothcats seeyouinanotherlifewhenwearebothcats ·
Are they Harry and Meghan effigies?! 🙈

😂😂😂 hee hee hee

Though the doll is a bit too handsome to be representing harry, to be fair! 😬

watcherintherye · 12/12/2022 00:51

EmmaAgain22 · 11/12/2022 23:42

Please ask them about it!

No, please don’t go over there…..😧

Mamanyt · 12/12/2022 00:53

BrightYellowDaffodil · 11/12/2022 23:13

Pagan here. I’ve never heard of hanging dolls on trees as part of the pagan belief system and it’s certainly not something I’d be doing!

Same here. It's kinda...out there. Now, I DO decorate my tree with artificial butterflies (transformation), dragonflies (dreams fulfilled), ginkgo leaves (prosperity), and ladybugs (luck), but none of them are especially scary-looking! Just odd, from most people's perspective.

Onnabugeisha · 12/12/2022 00:58

At least it’s not Krampus dolls. Theyre Christmas dolls meant to scare naughty children…

OldFan · 12/12/2022 00:59

Are they goths or indie or something? The rags are a bit pagany, hanging figures is a step beyond.

Seems like they think it's edgy. If you give them attention, they'll love it.