You know what is even worse than the Christmas lights? Having your entire family jolted out of their sleep at 4:25 every morning by the neighbor's very loud BMW. Talking to them four times did nothing. Our bedroom windows are on the side of their long driveway. The older BMW roars like a Harley when it is started and then the barreling down the driveway begins. Our windows literally rattle. Our school age children attempt to go back to sleep but there are mornings they can't. We put fans in the bedrooms. Pillows over our heads. What would you do for that? I will take the Christmas lights any day if we were able to get our sleep. We are so tired.

Seriously (we do not have our lights up) but get over it. Of all the problems in the world that you could possibly have with your neighbors this shouldn't even register on the radar. So maybe they want to hang onto that Christmas spirit just a little longer?!?
Can you blame them? Especially with all of the scrooges we have in our lives! You just never know why they might need that extra joy right now. Find something important to worry about and leave your poor neighbors alone. It's none of your business and doesn't REALLY affect you.

My lights are still up, but it isn't because I'm still in the Christmas spirit. My husband is just lazy. I warned him that he was wasting these 50 degree days. Now I'm going to laugh when he's out there freezing.

There are alot of lights still up I noticed. Little by little they will go down I am sure. Any suggestions on ways to handle the neighbor's loud BMW? There are alot of very intelligent people out there who have wonderful ideas.

We have those also. We have fans in the bedroom. We have talked to them in a nice way. We could care less if it wasn't 4:25 AM and the children are almost falling asleep in class. We have even prayed to the junkyard gods that they take the car asap. We try to understand their reasoning. They haven't done any repairs on their house for over twelve years as they feel it keeps their taxes down. Their yard is weed haven. Not sure the reasoning for that. We grew tall ornamental grasses to block the view. Quick and easy solution. The dad says BMWs are supposed to be loud and fast. He doesn't get it at all. The bmw is louder than a Harley. And the Harley riders in our area are so respectable. Wish there was a solution. We so need our sleep.

And to keep this light related, those deflated Christmas decorations are going to blow away with the winds we are going to get tomorrow. You may get a new decoration for next year if you are lucky!

Soneedsleep...check your local ordinances. Some villages restrict outside noise - like lawn mowing and construction work- until 6 or 7 a.m. Maybe the beemer could fall under that category, if it's loud enough.
Regarding holiday lights: It amazes me that people put their lights up so early, and then instantly after Jan.1st, the lights are off. That's kind of depressing, especially since we never get our lights up until about a week before Christmas. I would enjoy those lights, Michael, at least until Valentine's Day. Rule of thumb: When a new holiday hits, the old holiday decs have to come down.

Great ideas! Checked with the village and they said the noise ordinance applies to construction, music bands in the garage, etc. Just a license plate on the back. Can't see it as it is always flying down the driveway or road. Only the police would know about the emissions, but that is a thought. Sunday night, the dad got in the car and revved it repeatedly as loud as he could. This was at ten o'clock. Was ten o'clock too late to be doing that. The kids were asleep. Yes, they were wakened. There should be clear ordinanaces. And there are not. Thus, neighbors like the one next door ruin good neighborhoods in Grayslake. And to keep it light related. Any lights not taken down by now, won't be taken down for a while with the snow beginning.

BMW Lady- You should video tape the windows rattling and the noise level and take to the neighbor so they can see what you are going through. Maybe they need to see for themselves.

Back in the city when i was a kid, there were these people down the block who habitually left their lights up until February.. they took them down soon after we started Christmas carolling on their front porch.

Thank you truly for your suggestions. Video taping is a good idea. I think that the police should see it though. If the neighbor doesn't get it by now, he is never going to get it. I think revving the engine loudly and repeatedly last Sunday night at ten o'clock pretty much says it all.

And to make it light related, I bet those lights look pretty in the white snow right now.

How about you all just keep your nosey asses out of other peoples business Stop thinking it's your job to police other people - being just like you will not make them better people.

Seems Bill is one of those narcissists of which I speak.

This is the most ridiculous, waste of time article ever! If anyone is bothered by their neighbors Christmas lights they really need to "Get a Life"! There are much worst things to worry over than leftover Christmas lights. What happened to "love your neighbor"????

Winter's dark and dreary ..... keep the lights up and on!! (just take Santa down)

But it got our attention and we posted. And to the people with the lousy neighbors with the bmw, keep on it. Spring and summer will be here and things will become more miserable for your sleep. Good luck. Shame neighbors like that don't live away from the good folks.

Christmas (the whole reason for christmas lights) isnt officially over until 3 Kings Day, which was Monday, January 6th. (Jesus was born, it took 12 days for the 3 Kings to arrive, etc) So, many people leave up the decorations until after that day. Since it fell on a Monday, maybe they are waiting for the weekend to take them down.

Grammar police, that is interesting! I hope the neighbor to the bmw prints that off and hands it to the Grayslake police when they are called. Bmws should never be loud. It sounds like the neighbor is disrespectful to begin with. Perhaps Grayslake police can persuade the owner to get the old car in check with the laws. I liked this article actually. It gave thought to why people do things. Meaning the lights. As I headed home last night, I took note of Christmas lights still up. I have to admit they were really something to see in the blizzard.

I leave my lights up precisely because January is so gloomy! I leave for work in the dark and get home in the dark - the lights are a small cheerful moment in an otherwise gray day.

Even WORSE are the idiots driving around STILL with the fake antlers and Rudolph Red Noses on their minivans. Ughhhh, soccer moms!

There are noise pollution laws in Illinois, but they are supposed to be enforced by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, as I recall from back in 2001 covering the Libertyville Indeck Peaker Power Plant hearings.

Trouble is, there are only a handful of IEPA workers to enforce this throughout the entire state. I forget how many decibels noise had to be below and what hours the laws stated, but I do recall there were laws on the books that weren't just local ordinances.

But as long as the decorations aren't noisy or affecting the quality of someone's life in their own home, I think people should be allowed to decorate their homes any way they choose. They pay for their house, it's their property, and with all the taxes homeowners shell out, it should be their right to decorate their homes in July if they choose. Just my opinion.

Several years ago a neighbors son was using an old truck without any muffler at all that I could detect. He left for work around 5:30, waking me and I am sure his nearer neighbors. I checked the Illinois laws about vehicle noise levels then called the sheriff's department (I live in unincorporated Kane County). It took a couple of days but early one morning I heard a lot of commotion outside: it was the officers ticketing the son not for noise, but for using plates that came from another old truck sitting in the driveway that no longer ran. Neither truck could be used and that was the end of the noise problem. One way or another!

Ted, what would you do with the bmw neighbor? If he was your neighbor and waking your children at 4:25 AM?

Everyone needs to mind their own business. I would remind them of that politely. Even the loudest of cars, movers, leaf blowers, etc. should not sound through a well constructed home that consists of brick to reflect sound, R-36 insulation, and low e glass windows.

HOGWASH! Anyone with any sort of common sense (rare these days!) should be cognizant of the fact they are creating a possible nuisance to others and act accordingly and not like self centered bozos! We had some jerk install a basketball hoop within feet of our master bedroom window and we listened to that thing morning, noon and night with no regard for anyone's peace. While people have a right to do things on their property to get stuff done, OTHERS have a right to peace and quiet within reason. Perhaps we should have built a moat for solicitors too!

What a great article. I really like the idea of singing carols on the front porch of those who just can't seem to get around to taking down the lights. On the other hand, Christmas is my favorite holiday (and a good reminder of why we celebrate the true meaning of the holiday), so I'm not terribly offended by seeing Christmas lights in January.

My neighbor still has his lights up. Any advice now? It's almost February!!!!

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