Tag: Neighbors

February 21 Card Reading Day

February holidays

Today is the day you break out all those cards people have sent you and re-read them, smiling as you remember the intent behind the cards and those that sent them. (You did save them, didn’t you!?!) Greeting Cards were first sent in China (Wasn’t everything) and Valentine’s Day made them very popular starting even back in the 1400’s. Special postage stamps were designed in the 1840’s so that it was a little cheaper to send cards. It’s sort of a lost art these days with being able to send ecards and all, but at least the thought is still there.

How to celebrate – Break out your saved cards. Make sure to reply to all those sent cards. make up a list of people to send cards too.

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September 11th No News Is Good News Day

September Holidays

In an era when most of the news we get is some sort of bad news perhaps the idea should be to turn off your radio, television, stop the newspapers and don’t listen to anyone wanting to update you on the latest events. Between Wars, Pandemics, Shootings and Illegal Aliens enough is sort of enough. Just consider the past. All of this stuff happened in the past, we just didn’t hear about it and as such, we didn’t think it actually happened. The bury your head in the sand idea. It certainly didn’t lend to someone copycatting another crime of some sort.

How to celebrate – Turn off the news, just for today. Do not get your mail for a day. Do not listen to what anyone says during the day.

August 17th Neighbor Night

August Holidays

Today, or tonight, was created by Bob Matthews of Rochester, New York during the pandemic in 2020 (Not officially recognized until 2021) It’s a great idea, a way to stay in contact with, or even meet, your neighbors. During the pandemic you could still communicate with your neighbors over the fence or that imaginary line in the backyard that separates one yard from another. These are people you have to live beside so you might as well learn to like them even if you don’t at first. Good neighbors are important in so many ways you need to keep them friendly, happy and safe.

How to celebrate – Throw a backyard party for you and the neighbors. Get out and meet your neighbors is you haven’t already. To get a good neighbor you must first be a good neighbor.

December 20th Go Caroling Day

December holidays

With Christmas so near why not celebrate your joy and excitement by Caroling for your friends, neighbors and maybe even a stranger or two. During these times it’s difficult, at best, to share your holidays with your family let alone those outside of your family. Caroling works because you don’t have to get all that close to those you are singing for and they don;t need to get that close to you. So end you year by bringing a little spirit to others, and brightening your holidays as well, by going Caroling!

How to celebrate – Pick your singers to Carol with. Make a list of the songs everyone in your group should learn. Make sure those you are caroling for celebrate Christmas.

October 23rd Make A Difference Day

October Holidays

Sometimes the simple things in life are the most worth while. You can make a difference in your neighbors lives just by being there when they need you. Of course you have to know them well enough to know they need you but if you are a good neighbor, you will know when they need you and when they don’t. It also spreads out to your entire community, where homes need to be built or repaired for those in need. President Carter has gone out every make a difference day and picked up a hammer and nails and started to building a home for someone, even well into his 90’s. Be a good neighbor, in your neighborhood and in the world. Make a difference where you can.

How to celebrate – Get involved. Check on your neighbors. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

October 26th Make A Difference Day

October Holidays

Today is an important day, maybe even more important than you may realize. It started back in 1990 and falls on every 4th Saturday of October. Today we celebrate neighbors helping neighbors. So many neighbors go out of their way to avoid contact with each other. The idea is if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. But what if you stopped and helped them one day, then maybe the next day they would stop and help you. Where I live that happens a lot, particularly after a hurricane. But why wait for some horrible reason to help someone. If you see them in their garden, changing a tire or even washing their car, stop and give them a hand. You might find out that all this time you have been trying to avoid them that they may have been potentially your best friend.

How to celebrate – Get to know your neighbor. Start a project just to get your neighbor involved. Realize that nearly every living person is your neighbor.

August 8th Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day

August Holidays

Now here’s a fun thing we all look forward to every year, sneaking some zucchini onto our neighbor’s porch and then watching their reaction as they find it. Actually you could break the mold and use any vegetable, although then you’d probably have to create another day. If you neighbor grows their own vegetables then it probably won’t have the same effect. That wonder in their eyes of where did this zucchini come from is a laugh a minute, unless of course you intended to use that zucchini for a salad later, then the laughs on you! So knock yourself out today and put a zucchini on all your neighbors porch’s!

How to celebrate – Place a zucchini on your neighbors porch! Get your camera ready! Go back to bed and forget today ever happened.

February 7th Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

February holidays, Unboxing the Bizarre

I use to live in a neighborhood where everybody walked their dogs with their heads down, looking at the sidewalk and trying to ignore who might be around them. I now live in a neighborhood where everybody waves at each other and maybe even says hello to each other. What a difference.

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American neighborhoods over the years have been the iconic place to raise a family. A place where everybody knows each other, cares about each other, and actually is happy to see each other. It’s the way it was, but not so much anymore. People are almost afraid to get to know their neighbors because they might ask something of them sometime, or expect to treat others and be treated by others, more like family.

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Remember how neighbors use to build houses for each other, watch over each others kids, and throw block parties where everyone is allowed to come. The fun thing is, it all probably started with a friendly wave and a smile with the occasional hello thrown in just for good measure.

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A community is more than the house you live in, it’s more than the car your neighbor drives, or the gardens they grow their vegetables in. It’s a place where people liveand living is a lot more than just burying your head in the sand and letting everything pass you by.

How to celebrate – Give a wave, nod or hello to your neighbors today. Throw a neighborhood party. Find something you have in common with others in your neighborhood.

February 7th Wave All Your Fingers ay Your Neighbor Day

February holidays, Unboxing the Bizarre

To be a good neighbor you must be friendly. The best way of showing friendship, from a distance, is with a friendly wave. Not just a hand wave, but using all your fingers as was intended by inventing the wave in the first place.

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We wave at babies, they wave back… maybe they know what they are doing and maybe they don’t. However the message is sent. An added smile is helpful. It lets those know who you are waving at that you are actually happy to see them, even if it’s fake it’ worth the added effort.

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Like the handshake of old days, the wave probably was originated by leaders at war with one another showing the other side that they wanted to peacefully talk, intending them no harm. By waving an empty hand it showed that at least that hand had no weapon in it. Of course you had to be careful that the other hand was equally unequipped!

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So whether you are waving hello…

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… or goodbye…. give it the best shot you can.

How to celebrate – Make sure to wave at your neighbors as you see them today, remembering to use all your fingers to do so. You can wave at total strangers as well! They may wonder who you are and why you are waving but I’ll bet most wave back! Wave at yourself in the mirror today, might as well start your own day off with someone wishing you well!

September 28th Good Neighbor Day

Unboxing the Bizarre

What makes a neighbor a good neighbor? Is it someone that likes the same things as you? Is it someone that watches your dog while you’re away? Someone that car pools with you? Someone that leaves you alone?

The fact is, a good neighbor starts with you being a good neighbor. Be there when you are needed, invite them to backyard cookouts, share something with them that makes them feel like they know you but don’t force your highs and lows with them.

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Finding something annoying about your neighbor is easy. Maybe they have loud kids, maybe they don’t keep their yard up like you do, maybe they butt in where they aren’t wanted. But they are still your neighbor, and you are their neighbor, so find something you can enjoy, even if it’s hard. It is easy to find the bad in people, and sometimes really….really, hard to find the good, but it is there.

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When I was growing up I had neighbors that had kids nearly the same age as me.  We did all sorts of mischievous things together. We got punished in different ways and at one point, really began to dislike each other. But we still had to live together, at least in the same neighborhood. We found a way to make it work and it wasn’t always easy. Now as I look back at it, those were some of the most fun days I have ever had.

A neighbor is possibly one of the most valuable assets you can have these days, but you have to be equally as valuable to them. What’s even better than a neighbor? …an entire neighborhood. Your neighbors might not be perfect, but neither are you. They may even be annoying at times, but so are you. The fact is that no one is closer, other than family, to you, than your neighbors. In the end they want the same thing as you, to live their lives free of fear and as comfortably as they can. So if you want good neighbors, you have to start by being a good neighbor yourself.

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Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana created Good Neighbor Day in the early 1970’s. Jimmy Carter made a proclamation (#4601) to launch it in 1978. It was always the 4th Sunday in September until 2003 when it was changed to September 28th.

How to celebrate – If you don’t know your neighbors, go meet them. Find out your neighbors’ likes and dislikes and adjust yourself accordingly. Try and get your neighborhood involved in some common interest – everyone will be the better for it.