Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine. I love getting dressed up, seeing my family and friends dressed up, and not getting dirty looks when I stuff my face with candy. But what I most love about this holiday is that it is the only one when neighbors actually go to one another’s homes, knock on doors and we are freely given something to eat.
If we did the very same thing, without the costumes of course, on the third of May, our neighbors would think we were a bit weird.
Am I the only one that thinks its really sad that we don’t know our neighbors anymore and that to go over and ask for food we have to wait for a particular day of the year and dress up as people we are not?
I live on a street and my immediate neighbor to the East is one of my best friends. I know him because he is really friendly and made the first effort. I know the people to the West but not well and I’ve never gone over to say hi. I have really good reasons - they might be really busy, they probably don’t want to be bothered. The people in the houses across the street I’ve seen a few times and they seem really busy and important and I am certain they don’t want a visit from me.
So other than a lucky housing assignment next to an awesome guy and four and a half years - I know no one on my block.
Since it’s the beginning of Holiday Season I’m going to try something that is new for me. I’m going to bake cookies, unless I can bribe someone in the family who is a much better cookie maker than I, and walk them over to my neighbors.
Not sure what will happen but we’ll see. Maybe we’ll start to say hi when we see each other.
Just had this conversation with my wife this week. She was saying she loves Halloween for the same reason as you. When else do you actually interact with your neighbors in a way that is fun and even welcomed? We are so lame with our neighbors. My parents have lived in their house well over 50 years but from the beginning they knew their neighbors and their kids and us grew up friends. My parents have stayed friends with them even after they have moved...without Facebook or Cell Phones, they do old time stuff like visit each other. Once again, it's one of those bright torches my parents tried to hand me but I've probably not grabbed on as firmly as I should have. I hope your move inspires me. Let us know how it goes.
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