This past December, I went all out with my holiday decorations—reindeer with twinkling lights, a giant inflatable Santa, and a rainbow-lit sleigh. I spent days setting it up, and though my neighborhood wasn’t particularly festive, I loved it. But soon, my neighbor Linda’s kids—Ethan, Mia, and Jacob—started treating my lawn like a playground, destroying my decorations while their mom sat on her porch, oblivious and dismissive when I confronted her.
Despite my efforts to keep things calm, their behavior continued. One morning, I checked security footage to find them laughing as they wrecked my yard. When I showed Linda, she brushed it off, calling it “just decorations” and refusing to do anything about it.
Frustrated, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I coated all my decorations with industrial-strength adhesive and glitter, creating a sticky, sparkly trap. That evening, the kids returned, and as soon as they touched the decorations, they were covered in glitter. Panicking, they ran to their house, screaming for their mom.
Linda came storming out, furious about the glitter. I shrugged and sipped my cocoa, telling her she should’ve kept her kids off my property. The glitter stayed for days, and her kids never bothered my decorations again. Other neighbors even thanked me for dealing with her kids, who had caused trouble for them too.
Next Christmas, I’m going even bigger—just to spite Linda.