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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tell me I'm BU - neighbour puts up exact same Xmas lights...

160 replies

pinkfone · 04/12/2023 13:28

We have the same house, but mirror image. Our next door neighbours have put up the exact same Christmas lights as us in the exact same place, the day after ours went up.

Saw the old git earlier and he avoided me.

Tell me I'm being unreasonable!?

OP posts:
AngelontopoftheTree · 04/12/2023 14:45

Of course you're being Unreasonable!
If you're both semi-d, that sounds nice!

Why on earth is that an issue??? I'm intrigued by your reasoning.

FeebasAquarium · 04/12/2023 14:47

My neighbour has the same lights as us and my only (entirely internal) moan is she has cool
white and we have warm, if I’d have known I’d have got the same.
they're those dangling icicle ones and half the houses in town have them 🤷‍♀️

startquitting · 04/12/2023 14:50

Sounds like the old git has better taste than you.

AlwaysForksAndMarbles · 04/12/2023 14:55

  1. horrible ageism

  2. unless yours were handmade by pixies using light from the aurora borealis and sprinkled with magic dust by St Nick himself, then someone else is going to have bought the same ones as you from Homebase etc, and hung them in the most logical place.

I would have a look and see if you can find something else of more importance to worry about. Maybe cheer up the ‘old git’ by putting a Christmas card through his letterbox. Unless that is also offensive because it’s the same as yours.

fulawitt · 04/12/2023 14:59

It would look so lovely. I lived in a street were almost everyone had the same. Wink at your neighbor, you have taste and they shimmed in.

housethatbuiltme · 04/12/2023 15:03

Why on earth would that be a problem?

What is this modern obsession with being 'unique'? which oddly only seem to come is absoloutly average and unremarkable form and situations.

kitkatkitkatkitty · 04/12/2023 15:04

There are two attached houses on my estate that do this... it looks lovely

CarolinaInTheMorning · 04/12/2023 15:05

Tell me I'm being unreasonable!?

You are unreasonable for using an ageist slur.

ActDottie · 04/12/2023 15:06

um Yes… obviously you’re being unreasonable and very miserable yourself

Borth · 04/12/2023 15:08

YABU

squeekychicken · 04/12/2023 15:08

That's very sensible of your neighbour. I love a bit of symmetry.

Nightskystarsmoon · 04/12/2023 15:09

I don't see the issue there. I bet it looks lovely.

"Old git" wow. What's he done to be rewarded this title?

LakeTiticaca · 04/12/2023 15:10

Imitation is the highest form.of flattery 😉

missmollygreen · 04/12/2023 15:11

"old git"

No wonder he avoids you...

Luxell934 · 04/12/2023 15:11

This reply has been deleted

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

Ofa · 04/12/2023 15:19

Omg your neighbour must be so weird!! And have zero imagination.

I expect it looks nice but I’d
be annoyed too, and then I’d buy a giant inflatable snowman and park it in the middle of my lawn.

ManateeFair · 04/12/2023 15:22

Saw the old git earlier and he avoided me

I mean, I'd avoid you too if you were my neighbour

Original poster
pinkfone · 04/12/2023 15:22

Hahaha I'm actually really glad I started this thread, 1, because you've all confirmed I'm BU which I needed to hear, but 2, the responses are making me chuckle😁

Gotta love mumsnet.

Ps the houses are detached and he is in fact an old git, very sexist man and speaks to his wife like crap if that helps those I upset calling him an old git. He can call me the same back if he likes!

OP posts:
Tinkerbyebye · 04/12/2023 15:22

YAbU

Original poster
pinkfone · 04/12/2023 15:23

Ofa · 04/12/2023 15:19

Omg your neighbour must be so weird!! And have zero imagination.

I expect it looks nice but I’d
be annoyed too, and then I’d buy a giant inflatable snowman and park it in the middle of my lawn.

I love you

OP posts:
GasPanic · 04/12/2023 15:23

When you buy lights you actually own the rights to them, and no one is allowed to put up similar within a 2km radius.

KatBurglar · 04/12/2023 15:25

6 houses in a row around the corner from me have put up identical lights. It looks lovely, although slightly like an ad in a glossy magazine.

purplecorkheart · 04/12/2023 15:25

Do you honestly think that they went around the shops searching for the same lights as you?

PinkLemons99 · 04/12/2023 15:28

You sound thoroughly unpleasant, “old git” indeed!

I used to live in a semi with a slightly older male neighbour next door, and we became best friends. Having the same lights outside both houses is something we would have done too. One year, he removed one of the 6ft wooden fence panels that ran between our back gardens and added hinges and turned it into a gate. We shared the patio area and had loads of parties and barbecues and met each others friends.

He later met someone and got married and they were still our best buddies. I have very fond memories of the 10+ years we lived next door to each other. 🥰

wjpa · 04/12/2023 15:30

It is slightly odd although I’m sure it looks nice.

all those who have said it looks nice - I wonder whether they would actually have done this themselves - seen neighbour’s decs and gone and bought duplicates?