Thread: "Boo" Your Neighbors!!

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Here's a great idea to get your neighborhood into the Halloween Spirit:
"BOO" Your Neighbors!

If you want to get your neighbors in the Halloween spirit, be sure to engage them in a little game known as "Boo!" It's a popular game in some parts of the country, while in others, nobody has heard of it.

You might live in a neighborhood where you think nobody will participate in a round robin type of event as this, but you might be surprised. Sometimes during the holidays people will step up and get involved where before they wouldn't. And if you're new to a neighborhood, this is a great way to get to know your new neighbors without being intrusive.

There are several variations but the game goes something like this: print up a few poems and instructions on colorful paper (likely, orange). Get a treat bucket, or bowl or something and fill it with candy. You can also "Boo" people with candles, Halloween socks, and really whatever your imagination comes up with. You "Boo" two homes at a time, leaving the items anonymously on their doorstep. You leave it with the instructions and the poem and hope they "Boo" other neighbors. Once you are done, you tape up a large "Boo!" on your door so neighbors know not to hit you up again.

Start this game around the very end of September or very beginning of October. If you wait until everyone is decorated for Halloween, you're probably too late. You want this to spread around the neighborhood and that takes time, so you want to start it right as the season starts (or a little before, perhaps) and just as people are starting to think about Halloween. If you start too early, however, you might be out of luck as far as being able to purchase items goes.

So, it's the right time of the year and you're ready to go. Choose a "Boo" poem (with instructions) and copy it. There are many variations of the poem, but here is a sampling and you can vary it for your neighborhood:

"Boo!
To our good friends on the street,
Our homes' locations made us meet,
You now have been Boo'd, but who could we be?
We'll never tell, it's a secret, you see.
We placed these goodies for you and yours;
Then we ran fast, after knocking the doors!
Happy Halloween!"

Or it might be a big longer, something like this:

"The air is cool, the season is Fall
Soon Halloween will come to us all;
The neighbors are after things to do
In fact, a neighbor brought this to you;
"Boo" is a sign of friendship power
Just hang it up and watch it double by hour;
On your front door is where it works
It wards off solicitors and scary jerks;
The treat that came with friendly note
Are yours to keep; enjoy them both;
The power comes when friends like you
Copy this and make it two;
Then others here among our friends
Will give warm fuzzies that will not end;
We'll all have smiles upon our face
No one will know who "boo'ed" whose place;
Just one short day to share your Boo
You must be quick so they don't know who;
And don't forget a nifty treat
Like something cute or something sweet;
Please join the fun, let's really hear it
And spread some "Boos" and neighborhood spirit!

Instructions:
Copy the poem and instructions twice and attach it to your "Boo" gifts.
"Boo" two homes, leaving the items anonymously on their doorsteps.
Once you are done, you tape up a large "Boo!" on your door so neighbors know not to hit you up again.
We'll have a neighborhood full of "Boo" doors by Halloween night!
Happy Halloween!!


Be sure to include a cute graphic of a ghost or something else that looks like it might say "Boo!" Then attach the poem and the instructions to the goodie bag, basket, whatever you have created, and run out one night dropping your goodies on peoples' doorsteps. If you are just getting this started in your neighborhood, be sure to do more than 2 houses. You might find that some people don't participate and in that case, you want to have "Boo"ed enough people that you will get adequate participation.

What you're striving for is a neighborhood full of "Boo" doors by Halloween night!

This is such a great idea. We are the only people on our street that even hand out CANDY. It took three Halloweens of living here for the kids to even catch on and come to our house. We need to get these people in the spirit!

Boo'ing your neighbors has been around for some time... It's also a way of spreading goodwill beforehand if you're throwing a party and they'll be putting up with the inconvienence of cars parked up and down the street, or as a "please stop by" invite if you're really friendly.

they do this in my ex-wife's hood

I get Boo'd every year- twice last year. I have a hideous feeling that my new neighborhood isn't too boo friendly. That's too damn bad, b/c I AM starting the Booing process October 1st. They will yield to my Halloween will!

This is a great idea and sounds like so much fun! We are new to our neighborhood, but totally love our neighbors. I think they would be receptive and GhostTown and I plan on starting a Boo. I've never heard of this custom/game, but this would totally have added to the fun and magic of Halloween for me as a child; Perhaps it will become an annual occurrence and add to the fun for any young ones here. Thanks for the post FlashBiz. I'll let you know how it was received!

Ooops! Didn't realize I was under GhostTown's log-in.
~Aaaprn

I love this idea! If anyone already does this, it would be great to hear how, what poem you use, etc..

Originally Posted by Scatterbrains

they do this in my ex-wife's hood

LMAO Nice choice of words, there Scatterbrains.