In an ideal world, we’d all know our neighbors. Maybe we’d regularly borrow a cup of sugar, look out for everyone’s kids out the windows, and speak up if anything seemed awry.
In the real world, however, people move, and sometimes people keep to themselves. If you live in a neighborhood where homes are set back from the street, or are mostly fenced off, or if you live in an urban high rise where anonymity is expected, then you probably don’t know the folks living nearby.
No one needs to be best friends with their neighbors. But being friendly isn’t a bad idea, and if you get to know them, this can be an easy source of socialization. After all, you don’t need to make a plan to say hello to someone you’re going to see when you’re taking out the garbage.
Seize the day
If you’ve lived somewhere for a while, it can be tricky to all of a sudden become more social, but tonight — October 31st — offers a great opportunity. If you live somewhere that celebrates Halloween, then tonight you have a free pass to go ring your neighbors’ doorbells, and introduce yourself.
It helps if you have a small child, of course. But even if you have an older child, or need to borrow a niece or nephew, this can still work. Perhaps your teen likes to spend most of Halloween with friends or at a nearby haunted house. You can still go for half an hour on your block. There might even be Twix bars involved. How bad can it be?
When you (well, probably the kid) says “Trick or treat!” just introduce yourself. “Hey, I’m Sally from three doors down. I’ve been meaning to say hello. I love your mums!”
Connect again
Try to get people’s names (though you might already know them if, as on my street, there seems to be a lot of misdirected mail). If they seem friendly you might try exchanging cell phone numbers. Then follow up with a text. Or perhaps you’d like to organize a “stop by” kind of social engagement at your house some night — you can mention this to people during trick-or-treating, get their numbers, and follow-up.
Coming up with random reasons to say hello to people can be challenging. But Halloween changes all that. You don’t even need to wear a costume! Though if you want to, that can be another thing to talk about — and that people will remember when you text later. Oh yes, Sally with the jester’s hat…Yep, we could stop by her house this weekend. And all of a sudden, you have the beginnings of a much warmer neighborhood community.
Love this! I get to know new people wherever I go and usually by going to the same place a few times people begin to call me by my first name!