"But you weren't home": A Christmas Doozy.

[BatCity]

Forgive the unseasonal entry; I just heard this one yesterday.

On our street is a house that goes all-out for the Christmas season.  They put up a massive amount of lights, play Christmas music, and have a dedicated website.  People come from all over to see the house during the holiday season.  The homeowner collects donations for charity from the busloads of people who come by to see the house.

Now, it's probably not that relevant that their neighbor across the street (Betty) is a member of a religion that doesn't observe Christmas, but there it is.  Betty has a sign posted on her lawn during the holiday season asking people not to block their driveway and reminding them that their yard is private property.  I don't like the holiday house much myself, but I'm three blocks down so it doesn't disturb me.

One night this year, Betty and her husband were out to dinner in late December.  When they returned, they found a car parked in their driveway.  Sitting on their front porch swing was a pair of ladies.  The ladies had a video camera on a tripod mounted in Betty's flowerbed, videotaping the holiday house.

Betty approached them and informed them that they had to get off their porch, move their car and vacate the yard.

"Well, we figured it was okay since you weren't home", they answered.

Betty pointed out that she had posted a reminder that this was private property.

"But you weren't home".

Betty pointed out that it doesn't matter, and that she was home now and was asking them to leave.

"But we're all set up now.  I'm sure you could let us just stay and watch for a little while."

At that point Betty pulled out her phone, dialed the police and the situation continued far beyond the boundaries of this forum.

I feel very sorry for Betty.  Elsewhere in our neighborhood is a cul-de-sac that gets together to put on a magnificent Christmas display, but it's written into a clause of the HOA that everyone has to be okay with it.   The house on our street is in blatant violation of HOA rules (especially by playing music over a loudspeaker) and gets away with it by only having the display up for 29 days...thereby getting around the 30 day violation rule.

Yeesh.  Who does that?

[rain]

I think she was perfectly within her rights .... but I really wonder what the trespassers did once she called the cops.

[Talley]

Yeesh.  Who does that?

I'd say some veeery Special Snowflakes...

I hope the police removed them from Betty's property.

[BatCity]

I believed they left in a huff before the police arrived.

[Mental Magpie]

"Oh, we thought it was okay to use your tv because you weren't home...but then we decided we like our couch better so we took your tv to our house...we figured it was okay because you weren't home."

Where do these ladies get their logic?

[edgypeanuts]

"Well, we figured it was okay since you weren't home", they answered.

Betty pointed out that she had posted a reminder that this was private property.

"But you weren't home".

"Can I have your keys?"
why?
"Well if you are sitting on my porch you are not using your car so I'm going to take it for a spin.  You sitting on my porch is upsetting my dogs so I will just load them all in your car for a ride.."

[JocelynCS]

Aww, come on, you're pulling our legs!

Nobody's that entitled!

Nobody's that special a snowflake!  Nobody could possibly be THAT CLUELESS!

Seriously, this is an urban legend, right?  Right? 

Come on, my faith in humanity demands you confess that this isn't real and such people do not exist.  Seriously.

...

...

Pweese?

[BatCity]

You know, as ridiculous as it seems, it doesn't surprise me in the least. 

Picture this: A suburban neighborhood.  One family goes all-out to make themselves a sort of temporary tourist attraction with no consideration for their neighbors.  They have big signs in their yard, a webcam (do people still do that?) and holiday music playing.  And when there's a tourist attraction, of course all the visitors have the right to park and watch the show from wherever they like, right?

It doesn't occur to anyone that they are in gross violation of the HOA, which can't do anything because all they can do is tell them they have 30 days to take it all down...which of course they do.  People from outside the neighborhood know nothing of all this; they just know there are pretty lights to see and really, who doesn't like Christmas???

Add to that the complete lack of holiday decorations in the yard that has a perfect view of the "show", which to the mind of the Special Snowflake means the yard doesn't really exist; I mean, if it did, it would be all decorated as well, right?

According to my neighbor, this was just an extreme version of what happens all season.  People regularly stand on their lawn and either block their driveway or just pull right up and park in it.  It doesn't surprise me at all.

[Roe]

I would ask the HOA to change their policy.  (making something like that okay with all the neighbors)  I love Christmas and the decorations and music....*swoon* but I would totally hate living across the street from something like that. 

[Xandraea]

WOW, this is awful.  What a way to ensure bad rel@tions with neighbors!  Seeing as this is a yearly thing, and everybody seems to know it's coming, would it be possible to get the local authorities involved beforehand for a bit of crowd control?  I'm envisioning those temporary signs put up around parade routes, stating "NO PARKING, by order of the (local) Police Dept."  .. this way there's something to enforce if people ignore these signs. 

As a neighbor, I'd look into what I could do to ensure my private property isn't trespassed upon by such blatantly ignorant people, or even the slightly clueless visitors.  Perhaps some kind of temporary fencing around the yard, blocking the driveway and signs to the effect of "Private Property".

At the next HOA meeting I'd suggest tightening the rules on disruptions like this.  Maybe a neighborhood petition signed by all the neighbors, submitted to the HOA, would help.  Putting an offensive sculpture in the yard and being given 30 days to remove it is one thing.  Disrupting the entire neighborhood with noise, lights, and crowds for 29 days straight EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON is on a whole bigger level. 

[Allyson]

The worst part is that you know there are people out there shaking their heads in sadness and outrage at Betty's lack of 'Christmas spirit'. There's this idea with some people that if you in any way obstruct someone's enjoyment of Christmas, no matter why, you're a 'Grinch'. And there should be a movie made to show you the true meaning of Christmas!

[BeagleMommy]

My best friend's brother puts up a display like this every year.  However, he puts the lights and music on only from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.  After that they get turned off and he tells people they have to leave.  He also provides his neighbors with orange pylons to put in their driveways/yards to keep the tourists out.

[snowdragon]

Aww, come on, you're pulling our legs!

Nobody's that entitled!

Nobody's that special a snowflake!  Nobody could possibly be THAT CLUELESS!

Seriously, this is an urban legend, right?  Right? 

Come on, my faith in humanity demands you confess that this isn't real and such people do not exist.  Seriously.

...

...

Pweese?

  I have no doubt this is real. It goes along with folks who tie their horse to my friends tree's and let me "fertilize" the grass and eat the lawn. and the others who think nothing of breaking into the neighbor's yard to avail themselves of the hottub and pool.  Entitlement knows no bounds these days.

[CuriousParty]

Aww, come on, you're pulling our legs!

Nobody's that entitled!

Nobody's that special a snowflake!  Nobody could possibly be THAT CLUELESS!

Seriously, this is an urban legend, right?  Right? 

Come on, my faith in humanity demands you confess that this isn't real and such people do not exist.  Seriously.

...

...

Pweese?

  I have no doubt this is real. It goes along with folks who tie their horse to my friends tree's and let me "fertilize" the grass and eat the lawn. and the others who think nothing of breaking into the neighbor's yard to avail themselves of the hottub and pool.  Entitlement knows no bounds these days.

I hope you meant "them" there  .

[snowdragon]

Aww, come on, you're pulling our legs!

Nobody's that entitled!

Nobody's that special a snowflake!  Nobody could possibly be THAT CLUELESS!

Seriously, this is an urban legend, right?  Right? 

Come on, my faith in humanity demands you confess that this isn't real and such people do not exist.  Seriously.

...

...

Pweese?

  I have no doubt this is real. It goes along with folks who tie their horse to my friends tree's and let me "fertilize" the grass and eat the lawn. and the others who think nothing of breaking into the neighbor's yard to avail themselves of the hottub and pool.  Entitlement knows no bounds these days.

I hope you meant "them" there  .

 I did. Typing on a phone makes it hard to see typos sometimes, thanks for pointing it out