Step outside and look at your neighbor’s yard; you usually see cars lining the driveway, trees scattered around the lawn, and gardens full of flowers. What you usually don’t see is a flock of flamingos taking over. In the rare case that you ever see your neighbor’s yard (or even your own yard) covered in flamingo statues, don’t panic; it’s a good thing when they show up. Flamingos flocking in someone’s lawn usually shows they got pranked by a loved one. Besides just trying to get a laugh out of the homeowners, these statues may mean that someone is wishing them good luck, showing they’re being thought of, or congratulating them on a recent accomplishment. They could also be part of a fundraiser as well.
Flamingos themselves symbolize balance, elegance, and potential, but when there are multiple hanging around a yard, someone has most likely just been pranked. Of course, plastic flamingos are sometimes used for decorative purposes. However, homeowners who love the color pink or the animal will only showcase one or two in their yard, and they’ll likely be placed next to windows, shrubs, or the front door. When the entire yard is covered in the pink birds, that’s likely another story. If a flock of flamingos caught your eye from someone else’s home and you want to partake in the pranking fun, you’ll want to know its entire significance beforehand.
Yard flocking came to life less than 50 years ago
Over a dozen plastic pink flamingos line the yard, and those who put them there sit back and laugh at their perfectly well-executed prank. These pranks started happening in the mid-1980s, but plastic flamingos were simply a yard accessory before this time to elevate a home’s appearance. They were first made in 1957 in Leominster, Massachusetts by sculptor Don Featherstone, whom Union Plastics hired to create the flamingo from plastic. Yet, not long after that, plastic was deemed harmful to the environment. Plus, the material was also considered cheap and flimsy instead of valuable and sturdy, so pink flamingos again became a rare sight.
Nonetheless, the plastic pink flamingos weren’t out of style for very long. In the mid-1980s, the elite upper class started using the flamingos as a pranking mechanism rather than a decorative piece they could display outside their homes. They used them as funny themes for charity galas, catching other folks off guard by their choice of embellishments. Gradually, the plastic pink flamingos made their way to homeowner’s yards in packs as a prank. Some folks enjoy doing the prank for a laugh, while others partake in yard flocking to show they’re thinking of or congratulating the homeowners. The great thing about yard flocking is you can give the statues your own meaning; you don’t have to only limit your flocking to the original reasons behind the pranks.
Ways to partake in yard flocking
@tickledpinkflamingos / Instagram
Yard flocking can look different for every person. For instance, you could use them to display information about a fundraiser, wish someone a Happy Birthday, host a gathering in your neighborhood, or simply prank a friend. If you’re working with a group of friends to raise money for a charity, yard flocking can help you accomplish your goals. You could place one flamingo in each of your friend’s yards or around the neighborhood and attach a sign that says if they donate $10, the flamingo will be removed from their lawn, but if they donate $15, they can choose the house the flamingo will go to next. Of course, the donation amounts can change, but it’s a fun, easy way to get a laugh out of people and raise money.
On the other hand, if you’re close to your neighbors and talk to them regularly, you can come up with a plan where anyone can display a flamingo in their yard to let others know they’re going to host a gathering, whether it’s a summer party, game night, or another fun activity. Everyone can purchase a flamingo to keep in their house or buy one for the neighborhood and share it. If you decide to prank or congratulate someone, you could hire a professional yard flocking company in the area to go to their house and set them up, or you could purchase lots of these pink statues and set them up yourself.
