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OP and their husband put a lot of effort into decorating for Halloween. The neighbor demands they take it down due to his wife’s arachnophobia, threatening to report them. OP wants to keep the decorations.
This story reveals a conflict between OP’s enthusiasm for Halloween decorations and the neighbor’s concern for his wife’s fear of spiders. The neighbor’s strong reaction and threat to report them create tension in the neighborhood. The update at the end shows OP’s determination to keep the decorations and address the issue through their HOA and with the help of a doorbell camera. It illustrates the balance between personal expression and neighborhood harmony.
Scroll down to read the full story if you think it is interesting.
1. OP and their husband, new to the neighborhood, wanted to celebrate Halloween with elaborate decorations after missing it due to covid-19.
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2. OP decorated their yard with tombstones, fake webbing, a large spider, and a rope web extending from the roof, going all out for Halloween.
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3. Opting for non-gory decorations, OP and their husband excitedly spent hours adorning their yard with fuzzy spider decorations, embracing the Halloween spirit.
via Reddit
4. While OP’s husband was at work, a frantic neighbor demanded they remove their decorations, causing a confrontation.
via Reddit
5. OP, surprised by their typically friendly neighbor’s sudden outburst, inquired whether the issue was about breaking homeowner association rules.
via Reddit
6. OP’s neighbor, with a wife having arachnophobia, demanded the decorations be removed. OP mistakenly laughed, doubting the decorations could be that frightening.
via Reddit
7. Neighbor confronted OP, threatening to report them for the decorations, using his background as a retired police officer to intimidate.
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8. Alone and feeling uneasy, OP explained the significance of their Halloween celebration, the absence of graphic decorations, and the impracticality of removing everything without their husband’s help.
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9. Neighbor remained firm, issuing an ultimatum without giving OP a chance to respond. OP defends the decorations’ appeal and expense.
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10. OP hasn’t informed their husband, fearing his reaction, as he might add more decorations in retaliation. OP refuses to take down the decorations, valuing their Halloween celebration. AITA?
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11. OP shared photos of their decorations, including a large web and fuzzy spiders. They plan to install a doorbell camera, address the situation with the HOA, and document future events.
via Reddit
Now that you have read the story, it’s time for you to see what Redditors had to say about this. Read till the end to see what are other people’s opinions on this. Don’t forget to share your own opinion at the end of this article, too.
12. Halloween decorations are not that frightening, and your neighbor’s reaction seems over the top.
13. Your neighbor’s arachnophobia doesn’t mean you have to forgo your Halloween celebration.
14. NTA, Halloween is about expressing yourself, and you’re not in the wrong for decorating your yard in a fun, non-gory way.
15. Your neighbor’s demands appear unreasonable, and you have the right to celebrate Halloween as you see fit.
16. She definitely needs up.
17. I feel the same.
18. We have some ethical concerns from Redditors.
19. Your house, your rules.
20. Sounds cool to us.
What are your thoughts on this story? What would you do, or how would you react if you were in OP’s position? You know that your feedback means a lot to us; therefore, we want you to share your thoughts in the comment section below. For more such articles, keep visiting Defused. Have a nice day!
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“Aspen is the best boy for bath time.”
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