When My Neighbor Kept Taking My Packages, I Left a Christmas Surprise She’ll Never Forget

My Neighbor Kept ‘Accidentally’ Taking My Packages – So I Left Her a Special Christmas Gift

My lovely neighbor Linda always appeared to “find” my missing deliveries. I made an effort to be patient, but I lost patience when my limited-edition Christmas ornament disappeared. I therefore left her a unique holiday present that she would always remember.

When you see your name on a package and discover that someone else opened it, it can be really frustrating. But what if it keeps happening? Plotting begins.

Peace, not package battles, is the reason I relocated to this area. But I received exactly that because of Linda.

I felt that this area was the new beginning I needed when I moved here three months ago. Mike, my eight-year-old son, and I had experienced a lot.

It had been difficult to leave my marriage, but that’s a tale for another day.

We discovered a little, comfortable home near a park on a peaceful street. For us, it was ideal—calm and secure.

Mike and I would stroll to the park every morning, taking in the fresh air and the welcoming ambiance. That’s what I recall thinking. Finally, we will be content here.

We were, too. For a time.

Life was beginning to return to normal, the house looked fantastic, and the neighbors appeared to be pleasant. Until I got to know Linda.

At first, Linda, who lives next door, appeared like a sweetheart. She showed up at my door with a platter of cookies and that big, neighborly smile you see in holiday ads the day we moved here.

She chirped, “Welcome to the neighborhood!”. “From next door, I’m Linda. Do not be afraid to seek for help if you need it.

“Thank you so much!” Sincerely moved by her warmth, I said. “It’s been a crazy week, but we’re finally settling in.”

Linda smiled. “You’ll enjoy being here, but moving is always hard. And I’m only a knock away if you ever need assistance.”

She was kind and talkative, and during those initial days, I was glad to have someone to talk to. She even volunteered to watch the house while I was away.

She remarked nonchalantly, “You know, packages can go missing if they sit out too long,” “I’m happy to grab them for you if I see anything on your porch.”

At the time, it sounded like a considerate gesture.

Everything appeared normal at first. Then, however, strange things happened.

A missing package was the initial cause. For Mike, I had ordered an instructive toy. Despite the delivery confirmation indicating that it had been delivered, I recall not seeing it on the porch when I got home from work.

I reasoned that it might have been delayed.

However, when it failed to appear the following day, I made the decision to ask Linda if she had seen anything.

Saying “Hey, Linda,” I knocked on her door.

She smiled broadly as she responded. “Meredith! “How are you?”

I answered, a bit hesitantly, “I’m good,” Did you happen to notice a package on my porch yesterday, I wonder? It was Mike’s toy, and it’s no longer there.”

Linda’s face remained unwavering.

“Oh! That? I believe the delivery man must have made a mistake and left it at my door. She went back inside and brought my package back.

It had been opened.

She handed it to me and remarked, “I just opened it and was wondering who it might be for,” laughing lightly.

I looked at her, perplexed. My name and address were prominently displayed on the package. She couldn’t have been unaware that it wasn’t hers.

“Thanks,” I feigned a smile. “Next time, feel free to just leave it on my porch.”

She chirped, “Oh, of course!” “I’m always happy to help.”

I left, attempting to get rid of the strange sensation. But something wasn’t quite right in the back of mind.

Then it occurred once again.

And once more.

“Oh, sweetie, I thought it was mine!” Linda would always return my presents opened, accompanied by the same naive giggle.

I initially made an effort to be lenient toward her. However, after the third time? I was aware. Linda didn’t get it. They were being stolen by her.

The packages she took were small at first. It was bothersome, but not to the point where I would lose my mind.

Then, however, larger and more costly objects began to go extinct.

A pair of boots that I had ordered was the first significant one. I was ecstatic about them. I had been saving for a lovely present for myself for weeks as winter approached.

I hurried home from work when the tracking app said they had been delivered, only to discover… nothing.

I knew where to go.

I inhaled deeply before knocking on Linda’s door. I wasn’t going to be so courteous this time.

“Hey, Meredith!” She smiled warmly at me, as she always does. “What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Linda. I just have a question. Have you noticed any additional packages on my porch today? Boots in a box?”

Linda cocked her head as though she was thinking deeply. “Hmm… Let me check!”

I could hear her searching inside after she vanished. She came back a few minutes later with my box in her hands.

It was already open, of course.

She laughed and exclaimed, “I didn’t realize this wasn’t for me!” “I thought it was that jacket I ordered.”

I inhaled deeply while trying to maintain my composure.

“Right,” I said with a nod. “Well, thanks for bringing it back.”

“Oh, no issue, my dear! These delivery men really ought to exercise greater caution, you know. They constantly switch things up.

I walked out in a rage. It was clear now that she was lying. She was an experienced practitioner. She also didn’t give a damn.

However, a few days prior to Christmas, the last straw was delivered.

I had placed an order for my mother’s limited-edition ornament. This was a unique Christmas ornament that she collects. It was difficult to locate and hand-painted. I was eager to wrap it up and surprise her when the tracking indicated that it had been delivered, so I hurried home.

The porch, however, was deserted.

Infuriated, I looked over the tracking information once more. delivered at 12:34 p.m. to the front porch. By 1:00, I was at home.

It was impossible for it to have vanished so quickly.

I didn’t bother to disguise my annoyance as I bounded to Linda’s house.

Grinning as though nothing was amiss, she opened the door. “Oh, hello! Can I assist you?

“Have you seen a package for me today?” Struggling to speak in a calm voice, I asked.

Linda pretended to be perplexed. “Oh! I’ll check.

She came back holding the already-opened box. As though she had been admiring it, she had opened the ornament inside.

She laughed and said, “I didn’t realize this wasn’t for me!”

That was it. I could tell she wasn’t apologetic at all by her smug little smile.

I made up my mind then and there.

I would give Linda a memorable gift if she enjoyed stealing my goods.

One too many times, Linda had gone too far. It was time to discipline her.
I therefore devised the ideal strategy. A bomb of glitter.

I ordered a spring-loaded glitter bomb kit from my laptop one night after putting Mike to bed. It was one of the few parcels that Linda hadn’t intercepted, which was ironic.

As I put it together when it arrived, I couldn’t help but smile.

The package included a spring mechanism that, as soon as the box was opened, would shoot glitter everywhere.

I also put a letter inside that said, “If you’re reading this, you’re a thief,” to give it a more personal touch. I’ll call the police next time. “Happy holidays!”

I wrote my name and address clearly on the front of the package and wrapped it in festive paper to make it look even more appealing. I then put it in broad sight on my porch.

I just needed to wait now.

It didn’t take long, as expected.

A couple of hours later, I caught sight of Linda walking down the street, ostentatiously admiring the Christmas lights. As she passed my house, she slowed down, looked around to make sure nobody was seeing, and then took the box.

I struggled to suppress my laughter by biting my lip. You got it.

I awoke the following morning to the sound of yelling.

I almost started giggling when I looked out my window.

Standing on her doorstep, Linda was completely covered in glitter. Her clothing were damaged, and her hair glistened like a disco ball. She appeared to have been rolled in a craft store after being soaked in glue.

She frantically shook the box in an attempt to remove the glitter, but to no avail. Everything gets covered with glitter.

She grabbed the package like it was a live grenade and rushed over to my place a few moments later.

She banged on my door and shrieked, “HOW DARE YOU!”

I smiled my nicest smile as I opened it. “Oh, Linda! Have you unintentionally taken my package once more?

“You think this is funny?” She spit out and shook the box covered in glitter at me.

I folded my arms. “Amusing? No. Content? Of course.”

She stumbled, obviously having trouble thinking of an excuse. However, I denied her the opportunity.

I said in a cool, collected voice, “You know, Linda, maybe you should stop stealing my packages if you don’t want surprises like this.” Think of this as a holiday alert. I’ll contact the police the next time.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. At last, she pivoted and bounded back to her home.

The neighborhood rapidly became aware of it.

As it happens, Linda had been pursuing other people in addition to me. After confronting her, a number of other neighbors came forward and related similar tales of “lost packages” that miraculously resurfaced.

My glitter stunt gave them the confidence to call her out, even though some of them had been too shy or courteous to do so.

After that, Linda made every effort to remain anonymous. She hardly left her home over the remainder of the holiday season. And each time, despite her best efforts to wash it off, I could still see tiny bits of glitter in her hair.

What about me? Since then, not a single box has gone missing.