Ask any kid about their favorite holiday, and Halloween is probably on their Mount Rushmore. Friends! Costumes! Candy!
Zoom in: That's especially true in Cleveland. FinanceBuzz ranks the city No. 6 on its list of America's Best Halloweentowns.
Cleveland earned high scores for its number of Halloween stores, pumpkin patches, parties and online searches for Halloween-related terms.
Yes, but: Halloween is also one day a year we get an excuse to knock on doors and interact with neighbors.
Only about a quarter of U.S. adults say they know "all or most" of their neighbors, a 2025 Pew Research Center survey found.
62% know some neighbors. But another 12% say they don't know a single one.
💠Troy's thought bubble: Any time I've taken my young children to see Halloween decorations, I wind up having a friendly encounter with at least one neighbor or homeowner I haven't met.
It reminds me of my childhood when interactions were more face-to-face rather than on a screen.
Yes, but: You don't have to wait for Halloween to meet your neighbors.
Spend some timeout in your front yard, say hi to folks doing yard work or washing their car as you walk around, or go to your community yard sales and other events.
The bottom line: Making a few neighborhood friends is sweeter than any Snickers.