Thousands of people love to drive to see the biggest and best Christmas displays each December while next door neighbors can hate the blaring lights and congested traffic. Some irate neighbors have even called the police or pushed ordinances through local government.
What are some ideas to improve relationships with nearby neighbors?
We do several things. The first thing we do is take a letter by all the neighbors houses' in October explaining that we will be doing a display again this year and letting them know if they have any issues to please call us first. We also drop off an invitation to an open house that we host right after the lights turn on. The open house is a great way for the neighbors to see the indoor decorations and learn more about our family and how we strive to help our preferred charity. Finally after the season we take another letter thanking them for another great season by their houses' and let them know how much was raised for the charity and how they were instrumental in our success.
Always be open to suggestions of the neighbors and seek their input.
Jeff
I also agree with early communication, but I start with talking about them while I am building items, like in JUNE! We had a new group of neighbors right across the street. They are the only one's I haven't talked with yet, as they just moved in. I will be going to talk with them shortly do the meet and greet thing... and work in to talk about the display. We have never had bumber to bumber traffic like some places have had, so some problems that others have had I have never had to encounter. The best thing about the street, is after dark there is an "unwritten rule" that traffic only moves East bound. Not sure how it started, but it works out great for us.
Communication!! Do not spring this on them at the last minute. For us communication lead to spreading the display through a couple of yards.
Also ask your local Representative, they might have incite into laws and or maybe resources.
edited by Lee Alder on 7/31/2011
We live on a dead end street.. and we are going to have to move sooner or later when traffic starts to pick up.. right now I kiss up to the neighbors with plants & fresh veggies from the garden.. figured anything will help
:)
I am working on finding a good way to ask the owner of the vacant house next to me, if I can setup display items in front oh his house. He used to live there, before he moved and turned it into a rental. Now, no renters, and has sat vacant for 10 monthes.
All that space, and nothing to do is killing me.
one mine of course. I would put the static part of the display there. Hard to find places for all the items.
my elderly neighbor loves that we put some things on her property.. she even told us we can put more.. we also didn't hook anything into the light show over there.. so it's just a couple of extension cords
Yesterday I got the green light from my wife, so I will talk with the owner hopefully this week. I have heard through the grapevine that he has no plans to allow renters in it again; even though the last renters were great people.
He just wants to sit on the house, and not have to fix anything.
So, here is hoping.
will keep my fingers crossed for you
We build relationships in summer so that by the time set up and display comes around, we have instant fans/helpers.
I have a good relationship with my neighbors and the onely complaint that I had recieved was concerning the turning around in their drive ways. This past year I installed a gravel turnaround place in my yard so that as the people pass the display, at the end of my yard there is now a place for them to turn around. Neighors were supported and assisted with the installation.