# When can I shoot a neighbor for putting Christmas lights up too soon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269 "2015-09-23T04:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/1 "2015-09-23T04:25:07Z")
Please tell me that its today. They are honest to gawd Christmas lights. My BB was giving her credit for maybe putting Halloween lights up too soon, so I went out and looked. If I can’t shoot her, can I use a pellet gun to shoot out the lights? How about using a paintball gun? (that wouldn’t work, paint ammo will wash off when it rains.) Is it legal to cut the cord to that singing oversized snowglobe? I’m in Texas. Need help fast. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/2 "2015-09-23T04:38:10Z")
Immediately -or- It’s never the wrong time to shoot someone putting up xmas lights. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/3 "2015-09-23T04:54:41Z")
Is the person actually turning them on? I can see putting them up early (well, early November, not late September) because the weather is better, but then not turning them on until December. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/4 "2015-09-23T04:55:43Z")
Pellet gun. Lawn mower accident with the cord. Perhaps it’s time to convert to a religion that requires you to be equally obnoxious in her direction. But only if you think she’d get the point. Print out an anonymous letter and leave it in her box, asking her to refrain before Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/5 "2015-09-23T05:15:41Z")
Are they Filipino? The reason I’m asking is that to Filipinos, Christmas is THE big holiday of the year and yes, they do it for 3 months. ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/6 "2015-09-23T05:18:23Z")
I think that you should also put up your Christmas lights. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/7 "2015-09-23T06:24:36Z")
Anytime you have the opportunity. There may be some serious downsides to doing so, but you can. Maybe you meant to ask ‘When MAY I’ - which is asking permission, not ability. (yes, Mother was the English Teacher from Hell) ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/8 "2015-09-23T06:52:40Z")
I like Christmas lights. Let 'em shine, says me. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/9 "2015-09-23T06:54:53Z")
Well, that wouldn’t be very Christian of you. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/10 "2015-09-23T07:14:21Z")
There is a house near me that keeps them up all year, and without fail, lights them up every night. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/11 "2015-09-23T08:14:16Z")
Xmas lights? Are you serious?? Yes, you may shoot them, you have been given permission by moi! On a similar tangent, am I allowed to shoot bakers for bringing out Hot Cross Buns on Boxing Day? I mean…sheesh, the poor bloke was only born a day ago, and you’re already commemorating his death a day later?? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/12 "2015-09-23T10:11:04Z")
Sever the cords, but don’t let them look cut - make them look _chewed_. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/13 "2015-09-23T10:36:54Z")
Psh. One of the houses I drive by on the way to work put up their charming 10’ Christmas tree made out of headlights out by the side of the road so we can all see it the last week of August. The OP’s neighbor is an amateur. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/14 "2015-09-23T11:58:22Z")
One of the houses near me already has its decor up… …inside, not outside. The 3-season porch is ready for Christmas! ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/15 "2015-09-23T12:18:42Z")
So this is how the War on Christmas starts? ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/16 "2015-09-23T12:33:05Z")
Not with a bang but with a glimmer? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/17 "2015-09-23T12:39:03Z")
It’s neighbor season. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/18 "2015-09-23T13:32:43Z")
Our HOA, which is otherwise pretty even-keeled, has a Christmas decoration contest every year. It strikes me as stupid to have an “architecture control committee” who polices paint colors and yard tidiness and then go and encourage people to staple crass Vegas-style lights and decorations all over their properties. The one house, fortunately a bit down the street from us, always includes music blasting from their front porch. Here are some ideas (that I honestly haven’t had the guts to try): Replace the baby Jesus in a nativity with a canned ham. Not an original idea but I forget who I stole it from. Get the most gruesome Halloween decoration you can find, and add it to the neighbor’s stuff. Yard tombstones are a nice addition to a nativity. Zombies hanging from the tree or front porch are nice. Oh, a pile of brains and ravens in Santa’s sleigh! You can go crazy with this one! 😃 If you have money to burn on this, or can borrow it from somewhere, add a large flashing “GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!” neon sign to the neighbor’s setup. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/19 "2015-09-23T14:09:53Z")
> [@brovolone](#): > > I think that you should also put up your Christmas lights. Agreed. You’re best option here is to escalate. But if I were you, I’d go for a shrieking, laughing, moving, gore-spewing Halloween display. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269/20 "2015-09-23T14:39:50Z")
I don’t understand how being forced to glance every so often at colorful lights on your neighbor’s house can drive you to murderous thoughts. What has happened in your life to make you so angry? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-can-i-shoot-a-neighbor-for-putting-christmas-lights-up-too-soon/732269.md?page=2)