Thread: Neighbor copying theme? - flattering or rude?

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I need some opinions here. Walking home from work yesterday, I noticed that one of my neighbors on an intersecting street is building what appears to be a very large pirate shipwreck in his driveway. It's unpainted, but impressive in scale. Last year he had some static props and gravestones lighting and fog. There was no apparent theme, however. I was thinking to myself, that's great! Here's another haunter that recently moved into the 'hood. I even introduced myself and invited him down to see our display last year.

This will be our fourth season doing the pirate theme (ninth season haunting in total), and I'm building large a shipwreck this year too. We're well known as the Pirate House amongst the entire community, and close our road down for the 31st. We take a certain pride in what we do each year for the kids here.

Should I be flattered that this guy is building a ship? My wife feels that someone nearby should do something original. I tend to agree.

Maybe it's a gift to us?
Could ship's bow represent anything else besides a pirate haunt?
Should he have asked us?
Flattering or Rude?

let me know what you think. Thanks!

-dgm

I think the neighbor should have at least talked to you before copying the pirate theme himself.
I don't know what else a ship's bow would be, unless he's making a "Sinking of the Titanic" Haunt.
I agree with your wife--he should have done something original.
That's why I would never sell any of my home-made props to neighbors. I wouldn't want to hear a TOT say "Look, he's got the same skeleton as the guy down the street!"

Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery but darn if that just wouldn't make me mad. I would ask him what he was planning for Halloween because it looks like there will be 2 pirate themes. Everyone in the neighborhood knows you're the original so hopefully they'll see it for what it is...a copycat pirate theme. Maybe he was really impressed with yours and wanted to just keep the theme going. You really won't know until you talk to him.

If you are the well-known pirate guy, he will be seen as either a poor imitation and or a creepy "single white female haircut scene, omigod!" kinda guy.

Comparisons will be drawn. If you are the better established, let it go. Don't approach him. Let him approach you.

I think it's rude as well.

I've got a weirdo idea though. Perhaps you swing by and have a friendly talk and if he is indeed doing a pirate theme too, perhaps you could join up in a way. His ship becomes the enemy's ship and your cannons are aimed at each other, different colors, taunting signs and so forth. So his haunt becomes a compliment to your haunt. The kiddies can pick sides and such. Could turn out for the better.

I gotta 2nd Terra and say work together, imagine everyone who does a graveyard, how many people do you think have another graveyard pop-up next door. I live on a st of bahhumbugs, and am the only one who really does more than throw out a pumpkin or an inflatable, but I do have house for rent next door so maybe it could happen to me too.

Terra,

that's good thinkin' but with a caveat - I'd be concerned that this guy, who no doubt saw our guy's pirate ship last year, is a little off-kilter to be going off with his own galleon prow and crow's nest.

I'd be worried if I made him feel welcome, he'd readily agree, hang around a lot, call at weird hours, show up on the back porch at three in the morning wearing a tricorn hat and a speedo singing "Yo-ho, yo-ho" while asking why I didn't return his emails within fifteen minutes, the emails where he photoshopped his face and my wife's face onto images of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann getting married in the middle of the battle and the rain, and my face is on a corpse nearby, which is when I notice he has a real cutlass lashed to his speedo and he smells like rum.

Flattering or rude is all how you take it. So, I'll stay out of that arguement. However, I am torn on this situation. While no one has claim to a theme...afterall...they've mostly all been done by now. I do find it odd that this person has chosen pirates. Unless s/he had pirates at the old place and just didn't have time to get it all set up. Or maybe, they are trying to continue the theme into the whole neighborhood....I don't know.

However, I'd say let them have their fun this year and talk to them about it. If they've already started work, they've obviously invested some funds into it and will most likely not appreciate being told it's "your" theme. One should never discourage Halloween being celebrated. I'm actually hoping someone will copy me and maybe get the neighborhood to join in the fun instead of locking their doors and turning the lights out.

If they do want to do pirates as a permanent thing, are they close enough where you could have "battles" with each other? Canons firing down the street to hit the other's ship maybe? If you have actors, you could have your pirates storm his ship every once in a while when traffic is low. Make it fun. Don't get bent out of shape because someone enjoys what you're doing and wants to do it him/herself. We all started out copying someone. Just make yours better .

I have known a few streets to do the same theme and multiple peope decorate and it looks pretty good. Maybe he is trying to go with the same theme so more people in the neighbor hood will begin to decorate and eventually, people will think of your neighbor hood as the pirate neighbor hood, and not just the pirate guy. I don't know, maybe you could be the captain.

I agree with Terra, from what I read of her comment, she is implying you get a real cannon, shoot his ship and blast his Haunt to Kingdom Come, right Terra?