Neighbor finds 20ft Inflatable Santa Claus and snowman offensive

Christmas cheer doesnt seem to extend to oversized inflatables, it appears. When Dave Goodings set up two towering 20ft inflatablesa Father Christmas and a snowmanoutside his home in Chessington, south-west London, a neighbour labelled them as cheap, tacky and entirely unsuitable for our quiet street.

Shortly after the decorations appeared, Mr Goodings received an anonymous handwritten note through his letterbox describing the inflatables as offensive to the neighbourhood.

Mr Goodings, 31, explained that he had accidentally purchased a 20ft Father Christmas last year, thinking it was only 4ft, but displayed it anyway. The decoration quickly became a local attraction, drawing crowds keen to take photos. Encouraged by this, he bought a second 20ft inflatable snowman, costing 179, for the current festive season. It was after putting this up that the complaint arrived.

The neighbour criticised the large inflatables for ruining the character of the road and making the area look ridiculous, warning that the council would be notified if they were not removed. The letter, delivered during the day without a name or return address, read in part:

To the occupier of this house, I live down the road and I am absolutely horrified by the giant Santa and giant snowman inflatables you have put outside your property. They look cheap, tacky and completely out of place in our quiet street. The inflatables are an eyesore, they ruin the character of the road and they make the whole area look ridiculous rather than the nice tidy street it usually is. This is not a request, this is a formal complaint from someone who actually lives nearby.

Despite the criticism, Mr Goodings, who runs a DJ business, remains unfazed. Posting on TikTok, he joked about the complaint and revealed he would keep the inflatables up for an extra hour each night. He also shared that with a baby on the way, this Christmas felt like the perfect time to go all out with decorations. It has become a bit of a tradition now. And lets be honest, it would not feel like Christmas on our street without a giant inflatable, he said.

While one neighbour expressed disapproval, many others have embraced the festive displays. Sue Croucher, 83, commented, Its just a bit of fun. They dont bother me, and Jean Newby-Walker, 78, added, I like all that myself.

Reflecting on the letter, Mr Goodings admitted, At first, my heart sank a little as I never want to upset anyone, but when you read it again, its kind of funny. It brings so much joypeople walking by taking photosand its Christmas, not a crime scene. Honestly, the letter has just made the whole thing even funnier.

Author: Harper Simmons