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Idaho man pranks neighbors with "Gutterman" holiday decoration

Posted at 7:07 PM, Dec 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-18 07:28:05-05

NAMPA, Idaho -- It's not unusual to decorate the outside of your home for the holidays, but one Nampa man got a little inspiration after Halloween and decided to add a little twist this year.

Alongside the traditional Christmas lights, lawn snowmen and ornaments, Stan Robison created "Gutterman" - a life-size mannequin dressed in winter attire, seemingly hanging on to the gutters for dear life after a mishap hanging Christmas lights. It's a new feature that's definitely catching the attention of his neighbors.

"It's a really funny prank and I wish more people had a sense of humor like they do," their next door neighbor Tony Earll said. 

Gutterman is even motion-activated, so as soon as a car turns the corner onto their dead-end street, the mannequin starts struggling.

The neighbors have enjoyed watching drivers halt in front of the home, and leap to the rescue.

"We'll be playing with my little sister in the front room and just watch a car park and open their door and then realize its not a real person," Earll said.

"I did a double take and pumped my brakes and I was like, 'Oh my gosh someone is hanging off over there I've got to go help him!'" one neighbor explained.

At the very least, it's proven to be a good way for the Robinsons to get to know the neighbors, and Stan's mission to lighten up the mood around the holidays is successful so far, even adding a little stress relief to the delivery man.

"The UPS man stopped across the street and got out of his truck and started running up, and I was in the front room and saw him and came out and said, 'hi', and he was laughing and said, 'you got me!'" Stan said.