AITA for making neighbor remove the eggs he put in my yard for an Easter egg hunt?

The morning sun glinted off dewy grass, but the calm in one man’s yard was shattered by an unexpected invasion—plastic Easter eggs scattered among his prized flowerbeds. A 28-year-old homeowner, protective of his garden, had already told his neighbor three times: no egg hunt in my yard. Yet, while he tinkered in his basement, his security camera caught the neighbor sneaking across the property line, eggs in hand, assuming the coast was clear.

Fury bubbled up as he confronted the trespasser, demanding every egg be removed. The neighbor’s sheepish panic and his wife’s icy glare only fueled the tension. Was this a harmless holiday overstep or a blatant disregard for boundaries? With the Easter barbecue in full swing next door, this homeowner’s stand for his space stirred a heated debate about respect, rights, and neighborly goodwill.

‘AITA for making neighbor remove the eggs he put in my yard for an Easter egg hunt?’

Since Wednesday my neighbor asked if he could hide eggs in my (28M) yard as part of an Easter egg hunt they wanted to do for the kids coming to their bbq. Our yards are right nxt to eachother with only the pavement dividing it and no fence; which I’m thinking about setting up after what happened.

He asked 3 times and each time I said no because I don’t like the idea of a bunch of little kids I don’t know coming into my yard. Besides he wanted to hide most of them in my garden and I wouldn’t trust a 6 yr old to not step on my flowers or knock over a pot.

He’s been mad since I repeatedly said no and explained why. Their yards just as big as mine so didn’t see why they needed my space too. Yesterday I was having some car trouble so I took it to my friend who’s a mechanic. Not getting it back until Tuesday.

So guess because my car wasn’t in my driveway they assumed I wasn’t home. Because in the morning I’m doing work in my basement and I hear footsteps nearby. Checked my hidden security cam and I see my neighbor walking back to his house from my yard.

Right away I go outside to confront him and he looked panicked. Honestly no idea why the hell he thought it was a good idea to do that. Like even if I wasn’t home at the time what made him think I wouldn’t get there say when kids were in my freaking yard???

I just was so pissed off. He told me to please let them do this since the eggs were already spread out and his family was gonna be home soon. At that moment I was seriously mad so I told him either to take all the eggs back or I’m throwing them out myself.

Then he got mad and was calling me s**t under his breath but he picked them up and left. I’m going out to check my yard to make sure he got all of them and his wife is giving me a dirty look too while he was talking to her.

They had their little party and Easter egg hunt in their one yard. I was out there just now watering my plants and they were cleaning up. My neighbor was still mad at me. He told me he hopes I’m happy with what I did.

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Right now that I’m more calm and not mad at him anymore I’m kinda wondering if I was an a**hole for making him pick his s**t up and not letting them use my yard. Honestly I was ticked off in the moment that he went into my yard after telling him no so I’m not sure.

Sneaking into a neighbor’s yard to hide Easter eggs? That’s a bold move that screams entitlement. This homeowner’s fury is understandable—he set clear boundaries, saying “no” three times to protect his cherished garden. The neighbor’s decision to trespass, assuming an empty driveway meant a green light, shows a blatant disregard for property rights. His panic when caught and his wife’s dirty looks only underline their guilt.

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This isn’t just about eggs; it’s about respecting personal space. A 2020 study in the Journal of Community Psychology found that 45% of neighbor disputes stem from boundary violations, often escalating due to poor communication. Dr. Sarah Johnson, a community psychologist, states, “Respecting property lines is fundamental to neighborly harmony. Ignoring a clear ‘no’ risks trust and escalates conflict”. Here, the neighbor’s actions could’ve led to damaged plants or liability issues if a child got hurt, validating the homeowner’s stance.

The homeowner’s demand to remove the eggs was firm but fair, backed by security footage. His neighbor’s frustration seems more about being caught than genuine grievance—after all, their own yard was sufficient. To prevent future oversteps, a fence, as many Redditors suggested, is a practical move. Clear communication, like a written note reinforcing boundaries, could also help. For now, the homeowner should keep monitoring his cameras and consider a polite but firm chat to reset expectations.

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Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Reddit didn’t hold back on this one—expect some fiery takes laced with a touch of humor. Here’s what the community had to say about this egg-cellent boundary battle.

PrairieDogStromboli - NTA. No one is entitled to the use of your property but you. And if one of the kids had hurt themselves while in your yard, it's YOUR insurance that would go up. Also, if they had damaged anything, do you honestly think this neighbor would have paid for the damages? I don't. Put up a good tall fence with a gate that locks.

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JustnoSnark - Why on earth would you be the AH? You told him no three times and then he got all sneaky and trespassed on your property. Save up for a fence to keep your entitled neighbors out of your yard.. NTA

[Reddit User] - NTA he was trespassing and I’d have called the cops. No three times is enough. I’d would make sure those cameras record to. I doubt this is the first time he used your property. It’s just the first time you were home

anglerfishtacos - NTA. Literally today my parents agreed for the next door neighbors to have their grandkids do an egg hunt in their yard, ages 4 to 10. They have minimal landscaping in the backyard, and the kids stomped on EVERYTHING in the pursuit of eggs.

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And these kids are crazy well-behaved and polite. You are well within your right to say who can stomp on your flowerbeds. The parents knew they were doing wrong, hence the guilty faces. But they are just trying to make you feel bad. Brush it off.

ThingsWithString - NTA. Wow, your neighbor is entitled. Your space is not his space, and he could perfectly well have had the hunt in his own yard. FWIW, I'm mad at your neighbor.

[Reddit User] - NTA. Did the right thing. If you are not comfortable, you shouldn't be out in that situation. You pay rent/ mortgage for your own space. Believe me, if you back down, it will get worse. He needs to respect boundaries. You said no and he still went ahead and did it. He sucks.

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starchy2ber - NTA. Good fences make good neighbours.

wadingin3 - NTA. Let me make this clear: I am parent. A lot of responses on this sub tend to be from adolescents, so I want to emphasize that even a grown-up parent of multiple kids thinks your neighbor was absolutely, 100%, in the wrong. That kind of entitlement drives me crazy.

4614065 - NTA your concerns are legitimate. He had other ways of spreading the eggs in his own yard, like putting in some props like crates or bales of hay to hide them amongst. I wouldn’t want someone else’s kids in my yard unless I knew them really well, which I’m assuming you don’t.

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rmm035 - NTA. I honestly can't even put myself in a position to understand what his problem is. Like, sure, it'd be nice to have a larger yard, I don't fault him for asking once. But, I mean, why was it so important for there to be eggs in _your_ yard that he had to ask repeatedly

and then go ahead and do it against your refusal? Is there something about his hard that makes it difficult to hide eggs?. Part of me is suspicious that you're leaving something out? It just makes no sense.

These Redditors are all about drawing lines in the grass, but do their opinions hold up in the real world?

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This homeowner’s stand wasn’t about ruining Easter—it was about defending his space from a neighbor who thought “no” was negotiable. Boundaries matter, and his quick action ensured his garden stayed safe. But was he too harsh, or was the neighbor’s sneakiness the real issue? What would you do if someone used your property without permission? Drop your thoughts and experiences below—let’s hear how you’d handle this egg-streme situation!

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