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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Outdoor Flashing Xmas Lights

104 replies

Hearmenow23 · 03/12/2023 05:29

slightly lighthearted

If you love all the Xmas lights and decorations- then great! I have my own inside. But you can't see your big fuck off flashing lights as they are outside your house, and you are inside it. In fact, your flashing lights are only seen by me and a few other neighbours, mainly in my living room and bedroom. I don't understand!!!! Why???

Obviously I can't say anything as that would make me look completely miserable, but don't people think?? Even lights permanently on would be preferable to the flashing!!!

AIBU to not want flashing lights pointed at my house?

OP posts:
XelaM · 03/12/2023 08:11

I can't find the remote for ours so can't change the setting 😂

Dowhadiddydiddydum · 03/12/2023 08:11

Lots of people get joys from seeing so many lights outside at Christmas. I don’t see mine when I’m inside but I see everyone else’s on my evening walks and the kids love looking at them and choosing their favourites. It brightens up an otherwise very dull time of year.

I don’t really see it should impact you that much. If the flashing is actually problematic you could ask them if they mind switching it…honestly though how often do you see them?

DoktorPeppa · 03/12/2023 08:13

XelaM · 03/12/2023 08:11

I can't find the remote for ours so can't change the setting 😂

Are you actually serious? If we lived opposite you your lights could trigger DD to have a seizure. Find the fucking remote.

Loupenny25 · 03/12/2023 08:14

We've put lights up on the front of ours this year, bought a massive set so we could go all round the house, windows etc.

Got them set on a 3-10pm timer however when the timer activates it puts them onto the first setting (combo of all settings including mega flash)! That means I have to go bugger about in a bush to find the plug and swap them to steady on or something less abrasive rendering the timer useless!

I used to be grumpy about disco christmas lights and now I think, ah you also bought a set that doesn't remember your preferred setting 😂

So sorry neighbours, I'll switch them to slow fade when I'm back from the shops 😅

Original poster
Hearmenow23 · 03/12/2023 08:17

Just switch them to on! 😉

OP posts:
NewmummyJ · 03/12/2023 08:19

My son loves walking around the streets to see these lights, we have our own this year and it brings a lot of joy to the school children walking past from after school club in the dark. I won't mention our blow up snowman as from this thread I think MN will be after me 😂we do have a timer though!

Trez1510 · 03/12/2023 08:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

IntoAThousandPieces · 03/12/2023 08:20

I can't find the remote for ours so can't change the setting😂

Party time. 🤣

flowerchild2000 · 03/12/2023 08:21

LlynTegid · 03/12/2023 08:02

Tacky and think of the energy bills.

LED don't use hardly any power

flowerchild2000 · 03/12/2023 08:22

KimberleyClark · 03/12/2023 08:07

Unless you have blackout curtains, closing them isn’t always effective.

Show quote history

Get blackout curtains then

IntoAThousandPieces · 03/12/2023 08:22

*And, with that, I'm out of this thread to leave the tasteless, tacky, selfish cunts to it.^ 🙂

Merry Christmas. 😬

Shalopea · 03/12/2023 08:25

Just talk to them! I’m sure they want to spread joy rather than annoyance and would be happy to switch them to another mode that is less intrusive. But they can’t do anything if you don’t tell them.

Zonder · 03/12/2023 08:25

Hearmenow23 · 03/12/2023 08:17

Just switch them to on! 😉

Oh, sorry, I'll sort it now. Is there anything else that offends you while we are here? You write your list and I'll write mine, then we can swap them later.

IntoAThousandPieces · 03/12/2023 08:25

First bit should be in bold as it’s a quote of a pp calling people cunts, not me. 😬

ChoupetteTheCat · 03/12/2023 08:26

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2023 08:09

if your christmas lights:

a) flash OR
b) are blue OR
c) are cold white

then sorry but you’re getting christmas wrong

I was saying exactly this yesterday.

Original poster
Hearmenow23 · 03/12/2023 08:32

Oh, sorry, I'll sort it now. Is there anything else that offends you while we are here? You write your list and I'll write mine, then we can swap them later

Fucking hell! The wink denotes light hearted. But probably just your lights flashing into my front room and bedroom.

OP posts:
GuitarGeorgina · 03/12/2023 08:34

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 03/12/2023 08:09

if your christmas lights:

a) flash OR
b) are blue OR
c) are cold white

then sorry but you’re getting christmas wrong

Correct

CormorantStrikesBack · 03/12/2023 08:35

I feel your pain. The giant village Xmas tree is opposite my house and flashes all day. It used to also flash all night but Dd said it was making it difficult to sleep as was like a disco in her bedroom. They stop them flashing now at 10pm after I asked the parish co7ncil to sort them out

Oblomov23 · 03/12/2023 08:38

I like my lights. I see them when I leave for work, and when I come home. They are on a timer so go off.

43ontherocksporfavor · 03/12/2023 08:40

Agree op. So tacky and annoying.
Twinkling is so much nicer than flashing.

Gt86 · 03/12/2023 08:41

We can't be bothered with outside Christmas lights. We just set off fireworks every night.

43ontherocksporfavor · 03/12/2023 08:41

@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr absolutely but you forgot Christmas inflatables. Just no!

ohtowinthelottery · 03/12/2023 08:52

I think blue flashing fairy lights should be banned. There's just no need. Twinkling white ones are much more subtle and classier.
One of our neighbours had blue flashing lights last year. I'm praying they don't go up again this year. Every time I walk through my hall my heart skips a beat as I think there's an ambulance in the street - something which is sadly triggering for me (my problem not the neighbour's, I know). But my biggest issue is that we have a bay window in our bedroom. The only track we can fit for the curtains leaves a small gap between the top of the curtains and the ceiling. Light from the street lights (which go off at midnight) is fine but blue flashing fairy lights reflect on our bedroom ceiling. Not what you want to see when you're trying to drop off to sleep.

Camerasforinthehouse · 03/12/2023 08:57

ItAintGonnaGoDownEasyIfItAintCheezy · 03/12/2023 06:16

Bringing joy to others or showing off.

Just shut your curtains.

Show quote history

How many people are filled with joy at manically flashing lights though? It must be a small proportion. Lights yes. Twinkling yes. Lights like a rave - I’m not a fan. I find them really intrusive and nausea inducing. It’s kind of a taste thing but it is also a little bit anti social to push your flashing lights on to everyone else.

neverbeenskiing · 03/12/2023 08:59

But what is the purpose and the thinking?

Our DC love the lights. We love the lights.

It makes us feel happy when we arrive home from work to see them.

We can see some of them from inside the house.

The local school organise a Christmas light trail every year, which we take part in, lots of families really seem to enjoy it and it raises a few quid for the PTA.

Our DC really enjoy driving round the local villages looking at the lights on other people's houses at Christmas time, they can't be the only ones.

Is that sufficient "purpose and thinking"?

Ours are twinkling or just on rather than flashing, none of them are blue and they go off on a timer though so maybe that makes me marginally less of a "cunt" according to some posters on this thread.