People can't figure out what these 'creepy' tree decorations mean

We all have different tastes when it comes to decorations, but some are more widely appreciated than others.

Indeed, one woman and her family have been left so disturbed by the items hanging on their neighbour’s tree that she’s taken to Mumsnet to seek advice.

Posting to the forum on Monday, she explained that the unidentified people next door kept adding more and more “rag dolls” to the tree in their front garden.

Given that we’re well into December, you might assume that they’re just slightly off-beat Christmas trinkets. But the concerned mum (who goes by the username sandyfroglets) pointed out that they don’t have any discernible festive characteristics.

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“They are hanging with other objects like wooden rings and ribbons. Is it some kind of pagan thing?” she asked.

"No idea but it's bloody weird…,” she added, stressing that they were “really creeping my children out.”

She then asked fellow Mumsnetters whether it would be unreasonable of her to ask her neighbours to explain the meaning behind the dolls.

“We live in a quiet little part outside of a city. Nothing unusual goes on here!” she ended her post.

Naturally, the first question written in response was: “Can you take a photo?”

Sandyfroglets duly obliged and, sure enough, they are pretty bloody weird.

Various theories were floated about the dolls' possible meaningsandyfroglets/Mumsnet

Commentators soon replied with suggestions and interpretations, with one joking that the two dolls looked like “Rod Stewart and Su Perkins?”

Another recommended that sandyfroglets try to reassure her children that they were simply “guardians of the elf on the shelf, or helpers of Santa, or whatever”.

Others agreed that they could be linked to some sort of pagan ritual, with one writing: “The bunting type rags make me think it could be.”

And another said: “I've come across this a few years ago in Albania - not just dolls but stuffed toys too - all left hanging to rot in the elements. I never got round to asking about it at the time but I'm planning to return soon and will make sure I ask about it then; not least to salve my own curiosity, which may or may not be connected to yours.”

But another dismissed the theory, saying: “Pagan here. I’ve never heard of hanging dolls on trees as part of the pagan belief system and it’s certainly not something I’d be doing!”

Meanwhile, another offered a more sci-fi worthy hypothesis: “I know historically people protested the [1765] Stamp Act by hanging dolls in trees that were meant to scare off the tax collectors. Time travelling neighbours? The dolls do appear to be dressed old fashioned…”

At least there was one point everyone could agree on: they are “definitely creepy”.

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