National Neighbor Day is a holiday observed on the last Sunday in March. It should not be confused with National Good Neighbor Day—a holiday observed in September, although the two holidays have a lot in common. The real difference between the two days is that the latter encourages people to be better neighbors, while the former has a bit more nuance to it.

It is a holiday during which some people bury the hatchet with neighbors they have been arguing with; it is a day for people to become better neighbors, and it is a day to be thankful for the neighbors that currently surround them.

The History of National Neighbor Day

Unfortunately, National Neighbor Day is a holiday without a clear lineage for us to trace. It seems to have appeared a few years ago on the internet without any explanation as to why it was created and without anyone taking credit for creating it.

We will continue to try to plumb the depths of the holiday, but until we find some definitive answers, we must say that the origins of this holiday are a mystery. Perhaps it is related to Good Neighbor Day, a holiday created by Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana, in the early 1970s.

Some Quick Facts About Neighbors in the U.S.

Okay, you didn’t think that we would wander off without talking about some of the facts that we have learned during our research about this holiday, did you? We just can’t resist spending a few moments to lay down the facts we have learned on this subject. So let’s get down to brass tacks and look at the following points before moving on to the next section of this holiday article.

• Only 26% of Americans say that they know most of their neighbors.
• Approximately 57% of Americans say that they know some of their neighbors.
• Unmarried Americans are less likely to know their neighbors than married ones.
• Americans who live in rural areas are more likely to know all or most of their neighbors than those who live in urban areas.

Observing National Neighbor Day

As we said in our introductory paragraph, there are a number of ways to observe this holiday. People can use this day to quash any bad blood they might have with their neighbors and to move towards a more friendly relationship with them, or they can be thankful that they have good neighbors who will look out for their property if something should happen.

It is also a good day for a person to introduce themselves to their neighbors. People can also spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalNeighborDay on social media.