Festive or Poor Taste?

[Rhea]

Offensive and unnecessary. Decorations are fine. A noose is taking it too far.

 

[jewelerman]

I thought about this thread this morning as i read the sunday paper...i saw an ad that advirtised childrens clear window decals....one had 2 small bloody hand prints and the word help....who would manufacture this type of gross stuff and market it as holiday decoration....

 

[galeteia]

I find a lot of Hallowe''en decorations in poor taste; rotting limbs, bloody everything, broken bones, etc. I think they are just being festive, unfortunately many of this holiday''s festive decorations are totally inappropriate.

 

[Haven]

Date: 10/5/2008 3:45:13 PM
Author: jewelerman
I thought about this thread this morning as i read the sunday paper...i saw an ad that advirtised childrens clear window decals....one had 2 small bloody hand prints and the word help....who would manufacture this type of gross stuff and market it as holiday decoration....

Oh my GOSH, this is too much. This sounds more like an ad for a horror film than holiday decorations. Yuck. I don''t have kids, but when I do I don''t think I''ll want this sort of thing around them.

 

[dragonfly411]

I personally love scary gory halloween decor. I think it''s all in personal taste. I would try to just take it in stride

 

[Lauren8211]

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I love it!

It''s definitely in poor taste. A lot of things are. It''s gotten to the point where I''ve realized everyone is going to do something offensive at some point, and you have to pick your battles. This is obviously not done with offensive intent. That is usually my determination in whether or not to say something. This is just a difference in opinions and view points, and I think saying something would probably cause more harm than good.

They''re just in the holiday spirit, and expressing it in their own way. Try to ignore it if you can, and remember it''s not out there specifically to offend you.

 

[Pieface]

I think it''s OK...maybe not everyone''s cup of tea but I think that has more to do with what the viewer is projecting onto the decorations. I doubt you have to worry about the ill intents of people who go to the trouble of putting up decorations on their house - I don''t think decorating the house is the MO of your typical psycho.

To be totally honest I would just be happy to have new neighbors that are prepared to put some effort into the front of their house and participate in the street community - they sound like they could be fun people if they are happy to decorate up their house.

If the witch really bothers you due to your experiences the best course of action is to discuss it directly with your neighbor. I''m sure they will be understanding, the decorations show they are trying to participate even if you don''t particularly care for their taste.

PS Anonymous note is a terrible idea for fostering good relations with the neighbors IMHO. If someone dropped one in my mailbox I''d have 10 hanging witches up by the weekend!
Not trying to take a shot at whoever suggested it but I strongly believe it would only lead to bad blood.

 

[Haven]

Thanks to PS, I''ve been able to air my disgust here on the forum and not in my neighborhood, so thank you!

I''m definitely over the decoration, although I have changed the route I take on my morning walk with the puppy so I don''t have to pass by it at 5 AM when it''s still dark and eerily quiet outside.

Pieface--First, I love your name.
Second, I really love the positive spin you put on the whole thing. You''re right; I should be happy that they take pride in decorating their home, and they do seem like fun neighbors. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I clearly failed to do so in this situation, so thanks for steering me back on course.
And I agree about the anonymous note--it reminds me of that short story where the old women sends nasty anonymous notes to her neighbors and slowly ruins aspects of their lives. It''s actually very good, the title and author will come to me . . .

 

[LaraOnline]

Yeah, at the end of the day, restraint is a personal thing. But the whole basis of good manners is about thinking about how other people will bring 'their issues' to your behaviour! Why not hang up the witch decoration by her hat, for example?
The noose is direct reference to murder ... well, there I go again, I guess.
Fact is, most people just like to have a laugh, and poke a little fun as well.
I'm glad Halloween's not popular here. Wouldn't really like to explain a 'hanging' to my 2 year old and 4year old!

 

[geckodani]

Haven - I jus wanted to say that I think it''s both festive and in poor taste. Funny to some, but with the obvious ability to offend. People just don''t think before they do stuff like that...

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 10/7/2008 2:49:56 AM
Author: Pieface
I think it's OK...maybe not everyone's cup of tea but I think that has more to do with what the viewer is projecting onto the decorations. I doubt you have to worry about the ill intents of people who go to the trouble of putting up decorations on their house - I don't think decorating the house is the MO of your typical psycho.

To be totally honest I would just be happy to have new neighbors that are prepared to put some effort into the front of their house and participate in the street community - they sound like they could be fun people if they are happy to decorate up their house.

If the witch really bothers you due to your experiences the best course of action is to discuss it directly with your neighbor. I'm sure they will be understanding, the decorations show they are trying to participate even if you don't particularly care for their taste.

PS Anonymous note is a terrible idea for fostering good relations with the neighbors IMHO. If someone dropped one in my mailbox I'd have 10 hanging witches up by the weekend!
Not trying to take a shot at whoever suggested it but I strongly believe it would only lead to bad blood.

I suggested it. If that is the way you would handle an anon letter, so be it.

 

[Inanna]

I grew up in a fairly small town (around 50,000). There was one absolutely beautiful house that was extravagantly decorated every Halloween. It had a skeleton hanging from a noose in one of the trees, witches everywhere, lifesize scarecrow, Frankenstein, zombies, etc. On Halloween night the family who owned the house would get in ghoulish costume and sit on swings in the front yard, waving at traffic and passers-by. The house was famous and as a kid, I LOVED IT! All the kids made a special effort to go to that house while trick-or-treating. I do remember overhearing adults joke at how tacky and over-the-top the house was, but it was joking, not chastising. That house was what I consider to be part of my hometown's personality... I can honestly say it added to my childhood experience.

ETA - I will say it's a bit early in October for the full-fledged spooky decorations to come out.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Festive, can''t help but chuckle really....especially with all the garbage on TV, Video Games and in the media...

This might be contraversial but halloween is a Pagan Holiday and my friends mother, a devout christian woman, is absolutley against celebrating halloween. What do you think about this? I have no opinion either way.

I think it is for kids to get candy and an excuse for people to dress up and have a good gouly time.

 

[Haven]

iwanna--That''s interesting about your mother''s friend. I don''t really know what I think about that, as I''m not familiar with the Christian faith and I can only make a somewhat educated guess about why Halloween would offend someone who is a devout Christian. However, it seems like the issue would be determining where the balance lies between graciously accepting that others have different beliefs than you do, and being upset because those beliefs differ from your own.

And bringing up TV does make me laugh because I''m a huge fan of horror movies. Somehow, this just seems different to me. Perhaps it''s because it is in my neighborhood, my little haven from the world.

I do love Halloween, and I always have loved it. And I really love festive decorations as well, but I was just trying to figure out where I draw the line between festive and poor taste (or tacky, etc.) When I was younger we lived in a neighborhood near the city (Chicago) that is famous for outrageous and over-the-top Christmas decoration. People meandered through the streets and cars lined up for hours to drive through our neighborhood and take in all of the gorgeous decorations. I loved it, and like Inanna, it was a very fun and special part of my childhood. (Especially considering we didn''t celebrate Christmas so it gave us something to do!)
I suppose I was just struggling with the morbid aspect of this particular decoration, and as I wrote earlier, I''m over it. I''m usually so laid-back that my reaction was surprising, so that''s why I wanted some feedback.

Thanks!

 

[Pieface]

Date: 10/7/2008 11:20:53 AM
Author: VegasAngel


I suggested it. If that is the way you would handle an anon letter, so be it.

Sorry if I upset you VegasAngel. The internet is a crude tool sometimes. It''s very much just my opinion on how I would feel about receiving a note like that. It''s just a different point of view to throw into the pot and something I thought the OP should consider if contemplating that action. Sometimes I really would like it if this board had private message function!

Back on topic...

Glad you got some benefit out of my post haven

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 10/7/2008 9:29:21 PM
Author: Pieface

Date: 10/7/2008 11:20:53 AM
Author: VegasAngel


I suggested it. If that is the way you would handle an anon letter, so be it.

Sorry if I upset you VegasAngel. The internet is a crude tool sometimes. It''s very much just my opinion on how I would feel about receiving a note like that. It''s just a different point of view to throw into the pot and something I thought the OP should consider if contemplating that action. Sometimes I really would like it if this board had private message function!

Back on topic...

Glad you got some benefit out of my post haven

You addressed my comment so I responded to yours, what''s the problem?

 

[Pieface]

Ok I guess that means you weren''t upset by my comments. I must have read too much into it. No problem from my side

 

[miraclesrule]

OMG, that is so not acceptable in my book. If this kind of thing happens on a regular basis then nobody would even look twice at a true kidnapping and help needed situation.

I find it extremely disturbing.

 

[Haven]

SDL--I LOVE The Crucible. I love reading it, watching it, and teaching it. My kids loved it, too, it was a treat to read it with them.

Everyone--I thought I''d come on to let you know that the witch has been taken out of her noose and has been sitting in a chair for three days now. I thought they just took her down because it rained a few days ago, but it appears as if she is going to be sitting it out until the 31st.

I did not say a word to them. But now I''m curious about whether someone else said something to them. I guess I''ll never know!