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(26 posts)

Christmas Eve Party---

Started 5 months ago by DannyQ
Latest reply from JoB

DannyQ
Member Profile

No, this is not an invitation, unless of course you need a place to go. :-)

I have a big party deck and a nice size house here in the good ol W. Seattle area. My large, loud family will be coming over in the afternoon and we would like to go into the wee small hours of the morning (3AM?).

Are there exceptions from neighbors and slight noise that early or do you think they would truly call the cops on us? I mean it would be the first and only time we would be doing this as we won't be living there much longer.

Any feedback? P.S. I am near 32nd & SW Cloverdale.

Posted 5 months ago #
westcoastdeb
Member Profile

Ask the neighbors? Seems the only way to gauge their reaction.

Posted 5 months ago #
Sue
Member Profile

I think it depends. "Slight noise" can mean different things to different people. Also, noise seems to travel (think of The Hum) - what is slight near you might be anything but to someone nearby. For me personally, if a neighbor does not have a history of loud parties, I can be a lot more forgiving of the noise. And if anyone did call the cops on you, don't they usually just come and ask you to tone it down? I mean, as opposed to hauling you off to jail or ticketing you? :)

Posted 5 months ago #
DannyQ
Member Profile

ha-ha Sue! I suppose you're right. Plus, it's Christmas. Even if I were hauled off to jail, I would just sing Christmas carols to all the fellow inmates and officers and create my own chorus line. It would be like the old Mayberry Jail. :-)

Actually, this is a great idea! It would make for a great youtube video that could go viral within minutes!! Maybe I will make a ton of noise and smoke pot (since it's legal) at my place of residence. I think you're on to something!!!!!

Posted 5 months ago #
charlabob
Member Profile

This may be what Deb meant, but invite the neighbors. Even the geezers -- it's hard(er) to blow the whistle when you're an invited guest. And geezers may surprise you.

Posted 5 months ago #
KatherineL
Member Profile

Danny, I'm not your neighbor. But I would be highly annoyed to be kept awake until 3 AM on any day, but especially Christmas. Could you move things inside and tone down the music as it gets late?

Posted 5 months ago #
meg
Member Profile

No no no. Kids need to be sleeping when Santa comes, on the night before Christmas. You don't want your loud raucous party keeping wee peeps awake that night... forcing them to see the stark truth that shatters their magic thinking.

Posted 5 months ago #
Ms. Sparkles
Member Profile

Danny - Seattle's noise ordenance is vague at best and un-enforcable at worst. So the question is really what can your neighbor's tolerate this one night a year - as Deb said - inform / invite them!

At Meg- I had to laugh for two reasons- first, you're right that kids SHOULD be sleeping....but mine simply CAN'T and thus neighbor's partying 'til 3 am would make no difference in my home.

Mine NOT sleeping leads to reason 2 for laughing, mine have seen the "stark truth" (a few years ago with a particularly onery play kitchen that took HOURS to put together we were caught 3 TIMES working on that same piece) - so now our kids know that Santa is SO busy on Xmas-eve that he just drops the toys unassembled and leaves it to the parents to put them together ;-)

Posted 5 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

Danny...use common sense...you do have that, right?

Posted 5 months ago #
JoB
Member Profile

DannyQ...

get a grip dude.

are you the same bozo who sets off fireworks at every provocation thinking it will be just fine with your neighbors who have dogs cowering under the bed because hey it's all in fun?

i am already driven from this neighborhood by inconsiderate neighbors on the fourth of july and new years
i would just as soon not be driven from my home at Christmas as well.

you live far too close to me for me to find a christmas eve party lasting into the wee hours entertaining.

Posted 5 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

Besides, it's frigging cold outside at night...take the party inside. Geez!

And, Danny, I keep thinking, every time I come to this thread, if you have to ask, then you probably already know the answer...

Merry Christmas !

Posted 5 months ago #
Talaki34
Member Profile

Wow! How very kind this thread has turned out to be.

“get a grip dude.”
“are you the same bozo”
“use common sense...you do have that, right?”

When I first saw this post, “I thought how nice, here is a young man who is looking for some information on appropriate social parameters.” Instead of just nicely giving a point of view and leaving it at that, why did it have to be taken one step further?

DannyQ,

I personally feel that a large party on a deck that extends the festivities well into the night is not appropriate for this time of year. It would most certainly interfere with the celebrations of other families.

How about bringing the party indoors by 1900 hrs and then checking periodically to make sure the noise does not extend past your property line. That might work for everyone. I understand that you won’t be living there much longer, but being a good; kind and thoughtful neighbor is not dependent on location or length of time being there.

Hoping you and yours have a joyous holiday filled with many blessings!

One more thing…Be careful how many people are on the deck at any given time. Look for load limitations. You don’t want the deck collapsing.

Posted 5 months ago #
JoB
Member Profile

Talakai34

sorry you took offense to my calling it how i saw it..

if you had to live with the never-ending middle of the night fireworks set of at every occasion or non-occasion in your neighborhood.. you would call the idiots who set them off bozos too.

we are not talking the cute little sprinklers you give to kids or even the legal fireworks sold within the city or even the illegal fireworks sold at roadside stands outside of the city..

we are talking the window shaking variety so loud that you wake out of a sound sleep and check WSB for the blown transformer or car bomb.

and dannyQ isn't talking about a nice little family gathering with a bit of barbequeing...

he is talking about the kind of party that keeps the neighborhood awake all night and requires cleaning up our front yard in the morning... in this case.. christmas morning.

" “I thought how nice, here is a young man who is looking for some information on appropriate social parameters.” "

did you miss this?

"it would be the first and only time we would be doing this as we won't be living there much longer."

a clear indication that he realizes the neighbors aren't going to approve of that kind of party on Christmas Eve...

he is well aware that he will be disrupting the Christmas plans of all of his neighbors with this party... but thinks it should be ok because he plans to move anyway.

FYI... i didn't call DannyQ a bozo.
i called the people who set off illegal fireworks in my neighborhood bozos

but i did tell him to get a grip.

JanS is right..
he clearly knew the answer to his question before he asked it.
That kind of party is inappropriate in a family neighborhood.. especially on Christmas Eve.

I suppose i should thank him for the warning..
but his time i am not taking my family out of town so i can get a good night's sleep.
And quite frankly i am beginning to get more than a little cranky at the idea that i should have to.

loss of sleep will do that to you, you know.

Posted 5 months ago #
Talaki34
Member Profile

I think your response had nothing to do with DannyQ it just became a way to vent to all the people (your neighbors) that have upset you over the years.

You are not the only one who has neighbors that set off a barrage of fireworks. I deal with this every year, many people do. You are also not the only one who has pets who are terrified by the noise. And if you reread the post, there was never any mention of fireworks.

The second post was I think and little “Tongue-in-cheek.” Even if it wasn’t, you still did not have to be so unkind in your reply. Asking if you are the “Bozo” most certainly implies as much.

Just because someone asks a question like this does not mean they already have the answer. Social graces are not taught very much anymore. Did it ever occur to you that he really was asking because he didn’t know and wanted some input? Maybe you missed an opportunity in your pursuit to be “Right.”

I would rather assume (not always successful) the good about people and be wrong, than possibly hurt someone’s feelings by assuming the worst.

Merry Christmas!

Posted 5 months ago #
KatherineL
Member Profile

Can we not escalate this discussion any further, please? Danny asked his question, he got answers. I'd be interested to hear later how the party went.

Posted 5 months ago #
Talaki34
Member Profile

KatherineL you are totally correct! This discussion has taken a turn for the worst and I am the lead car with the blinker on. Thanks for reminding me about escalation and civility. :)

Job, Jans and KatherineL...Blessings to all this holiday season.

Posted 5 months ago #
DannyQ
Member Profile

I have had 17 shows this December on top of my 40 hour a week job. I don't get to see my family as often as I would like and even then, some of the family doesn't come around but this one time of year.

My house is decorated to the nines inside and out and I am an excellent party host. I am not talking about the kind of party that includes pissing on my neighbors statue or provoking the neighbors dogs. I am talking about a loud combind Mexican/Italian/Irish/Native American/Filipino family that truly values these special times. Of course there will be alcohol, but there will be karaoke, presents opening, poker, and all around a ridiculously fun time will be had.

This website, West Seattle Blog, has given me a huge respect for my neighbors and the people of the West Seattle Community. I wanted YOUR opinions on what you would do if you were me and if you were my neighbors if someone was having a party that included people parking in front of your house and maybe a loud noise here and there and nothing but laughs, cheers, and celebration being heard for a blocks radius.

The party deck is wonderful and I certainly will make sure it is not overloaded. I actually can't thank you enough for bringing that up as I wouldn't have thought of it. I will have tarps up to help keep the cold air off of the deck and will be decorating the place so the space can be utilized.

I thank you all for your advice and wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! :-)

Posted 5 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

Just remember, some of your neighbors will also have family over that evening, and need the parking in front of their houses. My family always had a lovely dinner on Christmas eve, and that was when we opened presents.(not happening this year - don't ask) So be respectful about that. I realize that you love your huge multi-ethnic family. But they are not the only family planning something that evening.

Posted 5 months ago #
JoB
Member Profile

Talaki

what i responded to was more concern over whether or not neighbors would call the cops than over whether or not holding a party that plans to spill outside and last till 3 AM on Christmas Eve is being rude to one's neighbors.

yes, it is rude.
even if that party is confined to your immediate family, it's rude.

Posted 4 months ago #
Talaki34
Member Profile

DannyQ – If you do come back here before the party…

I don’t know if this would work for you, but we always did it when we had larger Christmas gatherings. There was always a space reserved for less frivolity and more conversation. We needed the space because with the kids running around, all the adults laughing and joking it was almost impossible to really spend time reconnecting with everyone. It also gave the hostess, usually Mom the opportunity to just sit and relax for a few minutes without having to always be “On.”

This is just a suggestion: After using the space while it is light out to hold your revelers, maybe your deck could be used as gathering place for family members who want to just sit and talk. Play some very soft music (nothing jarring) in the background and create a conversation space. Since you are putting a tarp over it, it would make it that much more cozy. All the Christmas lights twinkling in the dark and very soft slow music would be a great space to talk. It would also help with the number of people on the deck.

Since you have Irish and Mexican influence in your family, the old Celtic songs or Latin classical guitar might work well.

http://www.elevenstrings.com/

http://www.quinlanroad.com/homepage/index.asp?LangType=1033

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAcaZqwPriU

There are a couple more things to think about during the party, as if there wasn’t enough already. LOL!!!
Electricity. With all the lights/appliances being used and the fact that some homes and buildings may not have upgraded circuits, be careful not to overload any electrical outlets. Plumbing. I know not a very festive subject, but make sure you have a plunger (Oh! Plenty of TP on hand too) and the number to a plumber just in case. I would also post your address and phone number on the wall for everyone should they have to call for assistance. You don’t want them to have to try to figure out where they are in an emergency.

Merry Christmas

Posted 4 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

good suggestions, Talaki...

Posted 4 months ago #
FionaEnzo
Member Profile

Talaki, thanks for the music suggestions! The two harp instruments are so unusual. Really like these.

Posted 4 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

wondering how the party was :)

Posted 4 months ago #
KatherineL
Member Profile

I'm wondering,too.

Posted 4 months ago #
DannyQ
Member Profile

Hey there,

The party was wonderful! We actually ended up going until 5AM. I had to take my dog out quite a few times through-out the night and did "Sound checks". I walked a block away occasionally and at times heard noises, but nothing unbearable. We had karaoke. Even though it was loud inside, it was surprisingly soft outside. MOther nature had her best sound barriers floating around last night to keep me out of trouble! :-)

We had more than enough food too!! :-0

Posted 4 months ago #
JoB
Member Profile

glad you had a good party
also glad you did sound checks

Posted 4 months ago #

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