Dear Mrs. McVeigh,
I live in a very nice neighborhood, and really like all of my neighbors. The problem I have is my next-door neighbor has Christmas trees on display in her windows on the first and second floor of her house. She also has a few other outdoor Christmas decorations. You may be thinking that she is just a little earlier than some people. The deal is they are up all year round! Now I am trying to sell my house, and my real estate agent is concerned. How do I tell my neighbor to take them down in a tactful way?
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
I understand if her year-round Christmas decorations bother you, but this is a tricky subject because she is not breaking any official law or property owner rules. It would bother me too, but you have to be careful how you approach the subject. You do not want to offend her to the point that it is uncomfortable every time you see one another. If you have a Home Owner’s Association, you could approach them for help. I had a friend who several years ago received an anonymous note about her “tacky” decorations on her lawn. She told me how upset and offended she was, but I noticed she did not put the decorations up the next year. You have to decide if it is worth it to probably hurt your neighbor’s feelings about the decorations. If you were friends you could offer to help her take them down in a joking way, and hope she gets the hint. But if it is so uncomfortable, ask your real estate agent to handle the situation.