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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Neighbours' Christmas lights

28 replies

FedUpFelicia · 03/12/2021 18:21

I live on a street where people seem to be trying to out do each other every year: houses dripping in lights, blow up characters, deer, etc, etc.

The latest addition is a curtain of lights across the entire top 2/3rds of a house. The difference is plugged up with a different sheet of lights: blue and white icicles. Each one flashes a different pattern and it feels like an epilepsy hazard! It would probably look quite pretty if it wasn't flashing erratically and it was all the same colour.

I would "love" to hear about any dodgy decs in your area to make me feel less alone and less of a Scrooge

OP posts:

muldersspeedos · 03/12/2021 18:27

I really don't like flashing lights. Or lights that stay on until really late and shine into the bedroom. I love lights in general but any flashing gives me sensory overload.

tootiredtobother · 03/12/2021 18:29

pop a note through their door, why should you suffer looking at their dodgy light display

LovePoppy · 03/12/2021 19:05

I’m no help
I love all lights

herestoyoucolinrobinson · 03/12/2021 19:53

Some lights start on demo mode every time they turn on. It’s really annoying so I only use ones that remember they’re not meant to flash. I trawl through reviews to make sure before I buy them.

Unfortunately my neighbours have not figured this out either.

CaddieDawg · 03/12/2021 20:17

I feel your pain...but I also don't understand why they sell lights which flash to fast?!? Nice slow twinkling is great, absolutely nobody likes the fast manic flashing!!

Welcometothejingles · 03/12/2021 20:25

I feel for you OP, I suffer from migraines and flashing lights give me horrific migraine attacks. I vomit all over the place and can't see anything properly.

stayathomer · 03/12/2021 20:26

Watch deck the halls this Christmas, it describes what you're talking about exactly!! Or just look it up. (Watch it!)

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/12/2021 20:28

The only problem I've ever had with external Christmas decor is when my neighbour had a projector which span and ended up pointing in my living room. Just knocked on the door and asked them to stop rotating. Problem solved

BendingSpoons · 03/12/2021 20:30

We have lights on our mantlepiece. If I turn them on, I put them on static or a slow fade. DS finds the setting that makes our living room look like a crime scene with multiple emergency vehicles haphazardly parked! If our curtains aren't shut the neighbours must wonder if we're having a rave.

Helpstopthepain · 03/12/2021 20:32

There’s a house that I pass on my way to work (stupid o’clock so dark when I pass and rural so no street lights or other light pollution) that puts up flashing blue lights. Every bloody year I think it’s the police.

HunterGatherer · 03/12/2021 20:37

Some of them look great but so many do look shit.
I pass a thatched house on my way to work that has 7 small spruce trees growing in its lawn, all done in different coloured lights ie one pink, one red, one green etc. It's gorgeous and really brightens my day.
Then there's the one at the top of my road which is just a mismatch of flashing monstrosities.
I have the Aldi stars in each window, plain lights in the trees and that's it.

dudsville · 03/12/2021 20:40

I love the lights and look forward each year to driving around looking at them!

mamaandbabas · 03/12/2021 20:40

Love lights, but I am defo in the camp of less is more. There is a house near me where fabulous nobodies live and it has a grotesque display of lights all over it.... they think they are being classy

SageRosemary · 03/12/2021 21:01

A house across the road from us is rented to some frontline workers (they are lovely people). It took all five of them to put up their Christmas decorations which are all flashing blue/blue white. Every time I pass near our door at night I think an ambulance has arrived to cart away one or other of our mostly very elderly neighbours.

Mrgrinch · 03/12/2021 21:03

I absolutely love to see Christmas lights but I must admit that I think they shouldn't be set to flash.

Seymour5 · 03/12/2021 21:04

I like subtle twinkly lights, not garish flashers. Not keen on blue either. And not yet…

pinkksugarmouse · 03/12/2021 21:05

I love it. Personally I just have lights in the windows and wouldn't have inflatables etc but I smile when I pass houses that are all decced out.

There is a house near to me that really goes all out and people go and see it and make a donation to charity. There was one who did it before them but they had to stop (I think the guy just got too old too manage it all) but they raised a huge amount for charity.

If it's really this bad perhaps your neighbour might be willing to change the light setting if you ask them nicely. I know ours can be so they might be able to stop the intense fast flashing.

ParkheadParadise · 03/12/2021 21:06

The street next to mine was on the local news tonight.
They all got together and decorated their houses. It looks fantastic. All the money they raise is going to Cancer Research.

MrsSkylerWhite · 03/12/2021 21:06

Close the curtains?

hiredandsqueak · 03/12/2021 21:10

The neighbour over the road's house is an eyesore. They are under the impression that more is better so there is all sorts of crap secured to the front of the house from the chimney down. Then the front yard has a collection of battered fake trees festooned with lights and baubles a flag pole that they trail lights down to resemble a tree. The fence has running lights along the top and an arch they have fashioned has more lights and then to each fence panel there is more crap that's lit up. I make a point of shutting the blinds before they them switch on each evening.

pinkksugarmouse · 03/12/2021 21:12

Just knock the door and when your neighbour answers ask them if they would mind stopping their intense flashing.

Akire · 03/12/2021 21:12

I get migraines to I would have speak to them. One thing at night when can close your curtains but flashing all day so you have to sit in darkness all month when there is a “on” switch which works just as well. Or play at own game and get double the flashing and inflect it straight back

KalvinPhillipsManBun · 03/12/2021 21:18

Over the road has electric blue lights which I kid you not, were switched on just after Remembrance Sunday. It's like an Emergency Service vehicle parked up outside every night.

BrilliantBetty · 03/12/2021 21:22

My neighbour across the street have festoon lights (is that the right word? I mean the large round-ish bulbs) across the front of their house. It is a large area.
They are really pretty but they keep them on 24/7 throughout the winter.

I'm absolutely sick of the light coming in to our bedrooms. Even with thick curtains up somehow the light still comes in.

Sometimes they have them on in summer, I think the switch must be somewhere near another switch and it happens accidentally. It is also really wasteful, there is no need to have them on when they aren't being enjoyed by anyone awake.

getsanta · 03/12/2021 21:46

That you Todd and Margot?

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