Outdoor flashing Christmas lights are obnoxious & tacky

[Skyrainlight]

One of my neighbours has recently moved in and has just put up the most hideous Christmas lights, red and yellow then flashing to blue and white, with aggressive unpleasant flashing back and forth. Fortunately they are on the same side of the road as I am so I barely see them, I see the lovely lights on the other side of the road that don't look like a tacky flashing casino. Is it just me or does anyone else dislike these lights?

but then what what would you say good taste is ?

Many years ago I walked down the south Bank of the Thames and they had the blue lights in the trees - early days of blue lights -and they were playing the Dr Who Theme music . It made me smile.

Flashing lights are hideous, but useful for establishing which of your neighbours are chavvy attention-getters.

I aspire to be the kind of person who lives in a house with Home Alome style Xmas lights.

I haven't even put up my tree.

You are entitled to your opinion, but I have masses of flashing lights outside my flat, which were put up by my neighbour, and he hasn't turned them on this year so far - and I really miss them. When they've been going in the past he has occasionally forgotten to turn them off and they've flashed all night. I don a sleep mask and forget about them.

I don't see the point of them, if you are inside you can't see them.

Aggressive Christmas lights? I've heard it all now

I agree OP. Flashy lights are grim. If you want to have flashing lights.. good for you, but have them on the inside so no-one else is inflicted with them.

Bah, Humbug.

I’m with you OP, I absolutely hate what I call ‘banging lights’. Our lights are on a timer and come on straight to the banging mode, I race to press the button to static because I can’t stand it.

Yesterday we drove past a 20 foot inflatable Grinch in someone's garden. The house was also covered in colourful lights. We all were so excited, me included.

Lighten up op.

I've put colourful lights on my xmas tree this year instead of warm white ones and it's made me feel that Xmas joy I felt as a kid. I don't put up lights outside my house as I'm short and too tired ha ha, but I love looking at other people's houses with my kids.

I'd seen a post on social media last week though that someone with a "Xmas crazy" level of lights outside their home had had complaints so you can't be to only person who isn't keen.

Totally agree OP, we have a big wreath with white (non-flashing, obvs) lights on the door and that’s it. Looks lovely and festive. Less is definitely more in our house.

Fortunately there isn't any up our road but visited DB yesterday and loads of houses had them.

This

Hilarious!! "Operation Christmas takedown I need you!" Thanks, it has made me laugh. x

No outdoor christmas light is tasteful.
Flashing or not, any festive themed display ('snow' lights, etc) is common

Guess your neighbours have probably already established who the judgy, pretentious snob is?

I find flashing lights really uncomfortable to look at both inside and outside the home. Hate them. Absolutely awful. Imagine living opposite flashing lights, how can you relax. Just as offensive to me as loud music. It’s a sensory thing for me.

Yes!! Always look to buy a house around christmas so that you can undertake a night-time 'Do my immediate neighbours or those in close proximity have external crimble decs/lights/inflatable toys' reccy prior to putting in an offer

Sorry, I haven't met them so that would be a little awkward as a first conversation knocking on their door to ask. Also, perhaps a bit of an own goal since I don't like the lights and they will assume otherwise and perhaps get even more if they think the neighbours love them that much. 😳

Flashing lights are awful, slowly twinkling ones twee.

I've ditched the 'warm white only' snobbery, though. A couple of years ago I bought coloured ones for the tree. Red, yellow, green and (the horror) blue. I love them. We had those gorgeous Pifco London lights when I was a child and they remind me of them (although they had more colours, gorgeous, jewel-like oranges and greens and deep pinks).

Agreed. An inflatable is a lesser evil than flashing lights.

I love them, sorry @Skyrainlight!

I love being on the bus in the dark and going past all these magical lights, takes me back to childhood.

@brbg2g "Mary Joseph and Baby Jesus staring in judging us.
Might prefer the lights to be fair..."

That made me chuckle.

You could ask them to move the lights to another setting? Most flashing lights have a variety of speeds etc. And they absolutely should go off later at night.

Tasteful twinkly lights, cozy. Bit of tackiness, fun. Even a good dollop of tackiness.

But there’s a tipping point. Loads of clashing, flashing junk thrown up around a house is ugly.

People have strong feelings about this stuff, I’ve found - once had a heated argument with a colleague who was appalled that I took the side of the mean, fun-sponge neighbours in a DM story about someone whose Las Vegas light show had caused a dispute after attracting visitors from miles around.