Holiday Ideas for Reaching Neighbors

Acts of neighborliness are often simple gestures that help us be a good neighbor, lift up others, or make our community a place we love. We invite you celebrate this special time of year with a gesture of neighboring friendship and support. This is a seasonal list of ideas that have been used by individuals in the #engagedneighbor network.  Set up an outdoor picture-taking event for kids.  Bring out a fire pit in your front yard to roast marshmallows or make s'mores.  Host neighbors for evening coffee and dessert.  Invite your neighbors over for a holiday open house or Christmas tea.  Mail or leave at the door a surprise affirmation note to neighbors.  Use the element of surprise with a gift or act of service that would bless your neighbors.  Make a double batch of the cookies you’re baking and bring some to a neighbor.  Know parents who could use a night out? Offer to babysit a neighbor’s child for free.  Deliver a homemade card to your neighbor, or leave it in their door.  Invite your neighbors to help the less fortunate by collecting food for a food pantry.  Help your neighbors hang their Christmas lights.  Go caroling and give out free homemade Christmas cookies to neighbors.  How about a hot cider and cookie night?  A Mexican tradition, tamale and hot chocolate night.  Put together a goodie-bag for the neighbors and go from house to house giving them out.  How about a neighborhood Christmas potluck for neighbors?  Start a toy drive in the neighborhood for less fortunate children.  Give mini Poinsettias with notes  Free gift-wrapping for the neighborhood w/coffee and cookies.  Distribute battery operated mini candles w/note.

Follow our “Becoming An Engaged Neighbor” page on Facebook for regular examples of neighboring across the Midwest. Learn from the examples of others. See the impact neighboring can make on your quality of life.

Complete a short questionnaire to receive our popular 100-plus page informational packet about the neighboring program (including a literature review) sent to you by email as a PDF. 10 questions on this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EngagedNeighborOverview or at https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/greene/neighboring-project