Street war erupts after neighbour sends stern Halloween note to residents

"What kind of low life thinks they can tell people what to do in their yard?"

A street war has erupted between a Halloween faithful and Christmas fans after an anonymous letter told residents to take down “inconsiderate” festive decorations.

The typed-up note was dropped in Queensland mailboxes by someone quietly incensed by the festive season creeping earlier into the year – particularly before the American celebration of Halloween.

So enraged by the premature festive joy, the anonymous Grinch informed its neighbours to turn off Christmas lights until after the spooky tradition on October 31.

“Christmas is an enjoyable holiday to many… but it has its place in December and that is when it should be celebrated,” the letter reads.

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"It's too early for Christmas"

Beaudesert mum Melanie Ryan has a few string lights in her front yard and was one of the residents who received the notice.

The message said Christmas was being “forced upon” people too early, and anyone with “Christmasy” decorations should take them down until after Halloween.

Ms Ryan told Kidspot, she was “disappointed and p*ssed off” when her nine-year-old son found the letter and read it to her.

“His first reply was ‘who do these people think they are telling us what to do in our own yard’,” Ms Ryan said.

“He was visibly upset. We do lights every year to bring joy to everyone, he hands out candy canes, it upset him to see someone so unhappy with Christmas decorations.”

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The Halloween note sent to residents. Image: Supplied

“I feel that no one is able to celebrate properly”

The anonymous letter addressed, “to Beaudesert resident”, begins with the author saying last Halloween they noticed homes had Christmas displays in October.

“I found this to be very inconsiderate to the children and adults that get a lot of joy out of celebrating Halloween because it takes away from the holiday,” the letter states.

“I know not everyone celebrates Halloween but for those that do, it is a time of spookiness, horror movies and kids dressing up in scary outfits trick or treating.

“I feel no one is able to celebrate properly with Christmas forced upon us early.”

The writer said while Christmas is enjoyable, “it has its place in December”.

“Even late November can be acceptable if you do not observe Thanksgiving but October is not the time and place for it,” they wrote.

It goes on to tell residents to not put any new lights up until after October, and if they had decorations, to “at least take away the Christmasy ones”.

“If you have lights up, would you please consider keeping them turned off during October so that everyone that does like Halloween can have some spooky scary fun.”

Ms Ryan knew of three others who received the letter. One was a friend, so at first, she thought it was a prank, but has no connection to two locals who received it - including an elderly man who has lights up all year.

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“I’d write a reply on Christmas stationary”

The irritated mum shared the letter to a local Facebook group, calling the writer, “too gutless to knock on the door or even leave their name”.

“What kind of low life narcissist thinks they have the right to tell other people what to do in their own yard,” Ms Ryan wrote. “How pathetic do you have to be to spend the time to type this up and deliver to multiple houses.”

Another person who received the letter replied, “Who cares if I put my lights up early…  if you don’t want your Christmas lights up early that’s your choice.”

Other people called the writer “entitled”.

“You never, ever tell other people what to do with their own… just respect that others enjoy their life and can have Christmas decorations up all year if they want.

Most people had a laugh, saying the letter would motivate them to put out more Christmas decorations, with one mum suggesting; “I’d write a reply on Christmas stationary and fill it with glitter and Christmas-shaped sequins”.

Another user explained that in areas with decorating competitions the deadline for entries is often the start of November, so they also start in October.

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Christmas “kills the vibe” of Halloween

However, some parents sympathised with the Halloween fanatic.

“It surprises me that so many people that love Christmas, and I’m assuming the spirit of Christmas, would = knock someone’s else’s celebration of a holiday,” one person wrote.

“If this note was begging to allow them to celebrate Christmas properly everyone would be so angry they couldn’t celebrate Christmas. It makes me ashamed of people’s heartless, mean, un-Christmas like behaviour.”

Another user wrote, “I’d never go out of my way to write a note like this, but I agree with it, it kills the Halloween vibe.”

“I hate seeing all the Halloween decorated mixed in with Christmas at this time of year.”

Originally published as Street war erupts after neighbour sends stern Halloween note to residents