My parents recently participated in a multi-family garage sale in their suburban New York neighborhood. They spread the word to all their neighbors through their Nextdoor website and I am happy to report that it was a great success.
As my mother recapped the day’s events, she updated me on the happenings of her neighbors’ children, who, like me, are grown and living in other parts of the country.
Our conversation reminded me of my favorite Halloween memory: It was the Halloween when my friend, Joey, from down the street and I decided we were going to go out trick-or-treating on our own–without our parents (gasp!).
We had a great time running from house to house, filling our pillow cases with as much candy as possible. After coming home from our adventure, my mom welcomed us with a late-night dinner of potato latkes and applesauce. We watched It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown while we divvied up our loot, trading Kit-Kats for Butterfingers and Smarties for Tootsie Rolls, and eventually falling asleep in sugar-fueled bliss.
There was nothing particularly extraordinary about that night. I’m sure my fondness for that evening is about the exhilaration of early independence and the joy of having a friend that laughs at my goofy jokes. Joey and I didn’t keep in touch over the years. In fact, this is my last memory of hanging out with him, but I still remember what a fun friend he was.
If it had not been for the ability of Nextdoor to reconnect old neighbors during my parent’s garage sale I would have never thought about my Halloween buddy and would not have gotten the update on where he is today. Talking to neighbors old and new can be a powerfully positive experience.
Nextdoor is a wonderful place not only for advertising a garage sale or getting a recommendation for a plumber or a painter, but also for getting to know new neighbors and reconnecting with neighbors you’ve known for years.
Do you have a favorite Halloween memory? Does your neighborhood go all-out for Halloween? Do you have a good neighborhood tip for Halloween? We would love to hear from you at press@nextdoor.com. We are always looking for inspiration for Nextdoor stories.