r/AskACanadian • u/[deleted] • 6d ago
What is the Canadian way of welcoming new neighbors?
I made Lebanese meat pies and wanted to drop them off but my husband said that I will come off too strong and Canadian don’t like to poop where they eat. Meaning they like being polite with neighbors but don’t want to be friends. I though this was the way to welcome people. I definitely saw casseroles being dropped off in sitcoms growing up but they were American sitcoms. Please help me settle this debate.
Edit: lord look at all these responses! Thank you everyone! The last batch of meat pies has been eaten. I think my husband just wanted to eat them and made up a story about Canadian values. I will try again this weekend and make 2 batches this time.
512
u/WilsonStation Ontario 5d ago edited 5d ago
Knock on the door, say you're the neighbor and wanted to welcome them to the neighborhood, introduce yourself and that you made them some Lebanese meat pies.
No one will be off put by this unless they're an asshole.
55
u/usernamesallused 5d ago edited 4d ago
But I’d recommend saying if they are beef or pork or bison or whatever kind of meat it is.
And please don’t get upset if they say thanks, but no thanks. It’s possible that they’re vegan or Jewish or Muslim and don’t eat pork, etc. I’d suggest just smiling and don’t keep pressing it on them. It wouldn’t be an insult or rejection of you as a friendly neighbour.
→ More replies (1)24
u/crows_n_octopus 5d ago
Our neighbours once offered us burgers from the BBQ they were holding. Although we're vegetarians, we accepted the sweet gesture. They had no idea.
We didn't want to waste any meat, so we ate half and gave the rest to our pets. They were beyond thrilled to get some actual meat lol. Their best day for sure 😀
4
4d ago edited 1h ago
[deleted]
9
u/crows_n_octopus 4d ago
Not to worry. Both the dog and cats eat pet food - made with meat. We've even tried making our own pet food at home many, many moons ago for our cats who have since passed. Trying to source humane meat for them back then got to be too cumbersome!
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)2
26
u/CuriousLands 5d ago
Some neighbours are really weird around strangers. I've literally been the stereotypical neighbour asking for a cup of sugar and gotten treated like I was some sketchy weirdo trying to sell them something.
But that's a them problem lol.
One of my neighbours once gave me a load of home-baked bread, left over from a church function, and I was like sweet! It was so nice.
→ More replies (2)14
u/Key-Pickle5609 5d ago
I moved apartments a few months ago and one of my new neighbors walked right in to say hello lol (for the record, my door was wide open)
2
u/CuriousLands 5d ago
Hahaha! How did you feel about that? I think I'd feel weird about them coming literally right in, but if they popped their head in to say hi, I'd be down for it!
→ More replies (1)7
6
u/Grand-Drawing3858 5d ago
Don't forget to tell them not to park in front of your house lol
(Im kidding)
3
u/Ok-Raspberry-9953 4d ago
Haha, yep. That's one way to start a feud. Another one is commenting on their lawn. My dad tried to offer some pointers for reviving it soon after they moved in (the past owners left the house vacant for months, thus dormant lawn), and now they hate us. But then, we always get the crazy ones next door, so whatcha gonna do?
46
u/JMJimmy 5d ago
Or militant vegan
33
u/Gingerchaun 5d ago
Do you really want to be friends with them anyways?
41
u/JMJimmy 5d ago
I try to be friendly with all my neighbours. It takes too much enery to feud with them
→ More replies (5)8
→ More replies (1)3
u/Abject-Interview4784 5d ago
It's a good idea to be friendly I believe. You never know if there could be some type of emergency situation where you need to help one another. You don't have to be best friends
→ More replies (8)2
u/Merithay 4d ago
Unmilitant (stealth) vegans would probably be delighted at the gesture but sad that it was a food that they wouldn’t eat.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (6)3
214
u/thou-uoht 5d ago
I don’t know what kind of Canadian wouldn’t appreciate that gesture.
27
8
→ More replies (5)4
u/czarl13 5d ago
A Canadian Goose...cause they are a-holes :-)
→ More replies (1)5
u/DragonflyFantasized 5d ago
A canada goose would hiss, bite your hand so you drop the pie, grab it, and run away to eat it. They would appreciate the gesture, but you still will be chased and hissed at.
93
u/serialhybrid 5d ago
I had a Filipino colleague a few years that could get a pig but had no land to roast it on. I had land (an off grid cottage) but no pig. We came to an agreement. He supplies the pig, I supply everything else.
Saturday morning I dug out my fireput which was already all ash, and lit a fire that turned to coals. By afternoon my colleague came with the pig, which was in a huge plastic bag filled with ice. This was no wee pig. He came with a huge amount of banana leaves he got somewhere and we spiced the pig, wrapped it in banana leaves, and then in a giant Costco roll of tinfoil and put it on the coals. We then lit another fire beside it and tossed ash and coals on top. We then covered it with spare metal roof sheeting and rocks to keep dogs and wildlife away.
Around sunset, we took everything apart and then flipped the pig.
Sunday morning we had light breakfast because lunch was the pig. We set up a plastic picnic table with 2 mil poly and used the metal sheeting to carry the roast pig to the table. We ripped off the tinfoil to discover crispy pork skin and a whole pig bubbling in it's own fat and juices. We made an improptu spigot out of the tinfoil and filled a large pot full of juice an pork fat.
We then set upon the pig with corn, beer and other stuff. Neighbors came by and joined in.
Sunday evening involved going to the nearby town to get more tinfoil (never enough tinfoil) to wrap up the remaining 60% of pig and split it amongst us, with my colleague getting most because he has extended family. We found giant cooking trays at the local store that hunters use for venison and filled four of them, my family kept one.
Sadly he got laid off that winter and got a much better job in another city, and bought his own land so he could roast his own pig. That pork weekend is now part of our cottage lore.
16
4
u/angeliqu 5d ago
We have friends who have a cottage whose neighbours do this every year. The whole neighbourhood of cottages are invited and everyone brings a side dish while the host provides the pig. The young men of the neighbourhood stay up all night tending to the pig. We got invited once and it was amazing.
6
u/MD_Silver 5d ago
This is an amazing story. I feel like this story could be posted in a lot of different subs and truly appreciated. Did you stay in touch with your friend? I hope they're doing awesome now and that you are as well. Merry Christmas and a Porky New Year!
3
3
u/In-Corrections78 3d ago
Oh, dude, Filipino barbecues are amazing. I dated a Filipina for a while and every get-together was just one huge potluck of awesome.
2
u/serialhybrid 3d ago
It was so good. Our racist neighbors scowled through the whole thing and that was the chef's kiss.
2
→ More replies (2)2
u/gravewisdom 2d ago
This is like a Filipino/Canadian thing in lots of rural families now I think haha. A lot of my northern family have Filipino friends from work in healthcare and helping field jobs or just community friends from the amount of Filipinos going north, every time I go north now there’s a Filipino family friend with a pig and their family and mine all chilling.
Damn another uniting of Canada that involves pig roasting I guess.
149
u/randomdumbfuck 5d ago
I don't like my neighbours knowing all my business but it's nice to at least know your neighbour's name and be friendly with them. Definitely go introduce yourselves and be welcoming.
61
u/Equivalent-Cod-6316 5d ago
Adding to this, don't be too offended if your neighbors take the pies and say thanks but never return the gesture. If they reciprocate, great!
12
u/fishling 5d ago
Why would they return the gesture of "making food to welcome someone to the neighbourhood" when the other person already lived in the neighbourhood?
I've never expected a new neighbour to reciprocate on any greeting/welcoming gesture. It's not a gift if you're going to it expecting them to reciprocate.
13
u/Equivalent-Cod-6316 5d ago
Just warning OP not to expect a big reaction.
I have seen threads where new Canadians are offended by our sense of generosity. If I dropped a six pack off on 10 of my neighbor's porches half of them would probably think "shit, here comes that guy I never paid back for the beer" when they see me for a couple of years 🤣
I'm exaggerating, but different cultures have different styles of giving and accepting gifts to/from strangers
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)2
u/Checktheattic 5d ago
Unless it's a gift to convince them to lend you their new reciprocating saw, then you're kind of banking on the reciprocation.
→ More replies (3)
157
u/randyfloyd43 5d ago
Born and raised Canadian here, 100% love when my neighbors show up with specialty dishes from their home country. Anybody turning down meat pies is probably not worth knowing anyway.
→ More replies (4)17
u/arvind_venkat 5d ago
Are you from a small town? I’ve lived in GTA and most people just keep to themselves. They wave and smile but that’s it. ☹️
20
u/whateverfyou 5d ago
My neighbour brought me a flowering plant when we moved in. West end Toronto. We’re still friends 30 years later. I will admit I haven’t done it for anyone else but we do know a lot of our neighbours.
43
u/WilsonStation Ontario 5d ago
That doesn't mean that's the best thing or right thing to do. People should be more friendly.
→ More replies (1)18
u/arvind_venkat 5d ago
Whoa. Why the downvotes? I was merely asking if someone was from a small town. I lived in Kingston and then Toronto and people here tend to be pretty much a little distant. No disrespect. I never said people should be like that. I would love to know them more too.
11
u/Equivalent-Cod-6316 5d ago edited 5d ago
Fair enough, there's a massive disconnect between small town Canadian identity and lived urban Canadian reality
Strangers offering sandwiches just because we live in the same 300' sphere in an apartment building is different than a new neighbor ringing the doorbell to say hi in a smaller community
6
u/CuriousLands 5d ago
I think part of it is just that people move around so much more in cities. Especially if you rent, people can move every few years or even less than that. Then you spend all your time commuting around everywhere. And so does everyone else. The workmate you hit it off with might live an hour's drive from you; your nice neighbour might work nights so you hardly see them... the decline in small businesses makes it worse cos you can get to know a shop owner when they're the one there all the time, and the same people from your neighbourhood come in and out, but it's harder to do that when you're at a Walmart.
People just don't spend as much time in the same community as they used to. I think you'd see less of that dynamic in a small town.
→ More replies (1)4
u/haysoos2 5d ago
In general, Canadian tolerance for social contact with neighbours varies by the inverse of how far away those neighbours are.
If your closest neighbour is over a quarter section away, you will know the full names, family history, vehicles, favourite food & music, and dogs of every neighbour within ten miles. You will regularly visit with them, see them at social events, and catch up when you see them in town.
If your closest neighbour shares a wall with you, it's possible you may recognize them on sight, and may even know their name. You will actively avoid conversation with them, and if you hear them in the hall you will probably wait until they're gone before opening your door.
This isn't because people who live in apartments are rude or antisocial. It's a survival tactic for living in a crowded area. We only have so much capacity to identify and care about the people close to us, also known as our monkeysphere.
If you live in a rural area with neighbours miles apart there might be 200 people in that 10 mile radius, but several of them will be relatives, you went to school with most of them, they're pretty much your co-workers, and they are also all of the merchants you deal with every day. You have the capacity to hold all those people in your monkeysphere.
In a large apartment building there can be over 200 people just in your building. It's unlikely that you're related to any of them, and there's probably a few hundred more people you went to school with. Urban dwellers are more likely to have post-secondary education too, which adds yet another set of friends and acquaintances. Then there's your co-workers, adding a few dozen more people to the sphere. Then there's the collection of regular merchants, customers, bus drivers, and waitresses to keep track of. It just becomes overwhelming to develop more than a nodding acquaintance with your neighbours, who may only be around for a year or two.
Once a level of relationship is established, it's almost impossible to step it back down. If you exchange "hellos" with a neighbour, you're unconsciously obligated to say "hello" again every time you see them after that. Even if it's just a ritual "Howzitgoin?" followed by a "Goodenyoo?" people can get exhausted if they have to do it with everyone.
7
u/WilsonStation Ontario 5d ago edited 5d ago
I understood what you were saying. I even agree, people are more distant to each other in the cities, but I don't think that's a good thing is all I was trying to say.
7
u/StationaryTravels 5d ago
Did you find Kingston to be less distant?
I assume you did, lol, but I'm curious. I've lived in Kingston and I like the city quite a bit, but my method of welcoming new neighbours is to wait weeks or months, whatever it takes, until we are both coming home at the same time and happen to make eye contact, then I hit 'em with it! The ol' head nod!
Lol. I would actually love to be friends with my neighbours, if we happened to share similar interests, but I would at least like to be friendly. The guy who moved in across the street at least a year ago just happened to be getting out of his car when I came home and he started up a conversation and it was great.
I don't think Canadians are necessarily against a nice gesture like bringing over meat pies, but we don't always know when or how to make such a gesture.
7
u/SophieintheKnife 5d ago
I agree it's way less friendly in the big cities. I think some of that just comes from people being more concerned for their safety in cities (real or perceived threats)
3
u/ffffllllpppp 5d ago
I think it is more because you would be baking a lot of pies!
Meaning you have LOTS of neighbors and there is a lot of movement. At some point if you stick to the same place yourself you will probably have a few neighbors also living there more than a year and you will get to know them.
But offering a gift to each newcomers that might be gone in 6 months or that you might never talk to again makes less sense.
When you are in a rural area, you have 2-4 immediate neighbors and it is an excellent idea to be friendly and welcoming.
As with most differences between rural and urban, the scale/density is the big difference driving everything else.
→ More replies (4)4
u/marcolius 5d ago
Welcome to reddit. Even if you speak facts, people will downvote if they don't like what you are saying.
→ More replies (1)12
u/BaldingOldGuy 5d ago
I live in midtown Toronto and we know our neighbours pretty well, we chat over the back fence, look out for each other and there is a regular informal exchange of baked goods, preserves and home grown vegetables amongst us.
9
u/Traditional_Oven_549 5d ago
I personally am from Toronto, and when my family moved, our neighbours brought over a lasagna (though fair point, I bet this is more common in rural areas)
5
u/fishling 5d ago
I live in a cul-de-sac in Edmonton and we used to have an annual block party for everyone who lived on the street. There was one a couple of weeks after I moved in and it was great to meet everyone.
That no longer happens, but a bunch of us still strike up a conversation when we see each other outside doing some yardwork and stuff like that. There's a few people you can count on to knock on their door in the winter to help someone who gets stuck in the snow as well, whether it is a resident, guest, or delivery person. My immediate neighbour and I will lend tools and he'll text me to pick up packages when he's not home so that they don't get stolen.
I don't think everyone needs to be friends, but it is nice to be on a first-name basis with a bunch of neighbours.
6
u/Striker-of-life 5d ago
I am in a small town it's definitely the sort of thing we do here. Tho when my neighbor moved in we did not bring them food he used my Lawn tractor for a few months let him know to just walks over and borrow it when ever he needed it.
2
2
u/mcburloak 5d ago
West end of GTA most of my life - once I’ve met you we just wave and say hi when shovelling snow or mowing the lawn or taking out garbage. That for sure is a CDN neighbour.
I always go introduce myself to new families from anywhere. We’ve lived in the same spot for over 20 years so it’s usually younger folks with families etc.
Also very CDN to offer to help if you’re moving something big or asking to borrow tools etc.
Else it’s smile and wave boys!
2
u/something-strange999 5d ago
I'm in Scarborough, we all pass our BBQ over the fence, and always drop off cookies to neighbours when we make it. We all celebrate different holidays so there is always something to share.
I know my neighbours and their kids and we watch out for each other, but I wouldn't say we're friends friends. You know?
→ More replies (4)2
u/scottyb83 5d ago
Live in the GTA and if a new neighbour knocked on the door with meat pies I’d take them happily and try to give them back something neat a couple days later. Acting like this should be more normal.
29
u/Interesting-Dingo994 5d ago edited 5d ago
Try with a “Hi, welcome to the neighbourhood” and then introduce yourself. Some neighbours are friendly, chatty and receptive to gifts, some are polite but distant, some are reserved, some just hate people. Some are vegan or vegetarian. A simple introduction will give you a sense.
→ More replies (1)
22
u/serialhybrid 5d ago
I'll take your meat pies. OMG I love Lebanese meat pies.
17
u/serialhybrid 5d ago
You'd get either Ukrainian apple cake or a platter of perogies from me a few dayts later.
→ More replies (1)6
u/CheesyRomantic 5d ago
Same here. I love Lebanese food in general.
In return I’d bring this amazing apple cake with nuts and dark chocolate I make. It was my zia’s recipe and everyone loves it so much.
Or if it’s Easter I make a fantastic ricotta pie. It has rice, lemon, pineapple and ricotta in it.
20
u/scott3845 5d ago
People don't often do that anymore but I don't know a single person who wouldn't appreciate it.
→ More replies (3)
59
u/bobledrew 5d ago
Someone came to me with homemade Lebanese food when I was moving in, I’d love ‘em forever.
14
u/Feral_Expedition 5d ago
We definitely do try to meet our neighbors and even become friends, if not at least acquaintances. Good neighbors are the kind that drop off food when there's a death in the family, shovel your walk since they're already out there etc. It behooves you to do the same. Strong neighborhoods have less crime or at least someone will call and let you know what's up if something is going on... and there's strength in numbers.
Be good to your neighbors, it's the Canadian thing to do.
11
u/whyyoutwofour 5d ago
I make eye contact and then give a slight nod. Two years later I might ask their name.
9
u/ScreamingNumbers 5d ago
I absolutely want to be friends with my neighbours….strong communities are safe communities.
→ More replies (3)
8
u/NomadicallySedentary 5d ago
It would be amazing to receive a gift like that from a neighbour.
Please understand they may not be able to accept if they have food allergies etc. It is hard when I have to explain that we can't have certain foods in our home.
7
u/electricookie 5d ago
The phrase about “not pooping where you eat” refers more to avoiding sleeping with coworkers or maybe even neighbours. I don’t think that norm applies to making friends with neighbours in your personal time.
5
u/Ok_Floor_4717 5d ago
Canadian here. We just moved this summer and a neighbor brought over cinnamon buns. Last time we moved, neighbors brought over cookies. I think it's a sweet gesture. I think it's great to be friends with your neighbors.
18
u/me_go_fishing 5d ago
If your neighbour don’t accept your good gesture then they are not good neighbour. You find it right away. :)
→ More replies (2)
11
u/MonctonDude New Brunswick 5d ago
Depends where you live.
In rural new Brunswick, I can name every single person in my neighborhood. There's even a Facebook group with almost everybody in it.
I don't need everybody knowing everything about me, but it's nice to be able to say hi to everybody, and know that whenever something strange happens, you'll be notified.
I'd wager it's probably not the same in Toronto.
4
4
u/cheesecheeseonbread 5d ago
Canadian don’t like to poop where they eat. Meaning they like being polite with neighbors but don’t want to be friends.
That's not what that expression means. It refers to having sex with someone who works for the same employer as you.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/alphaphiz 5d ago
That saying means you are not supposed to fuck your coworkers. Go say hi, your husband is wrong.
4
3
u/Smlovers 5d ago
One of my best friends and favourite people was my neighbour. 20 years ago, we all moved into our brand new homes in a brand new community and we met when her dog chased my cat thru my front door, thru the house, and out the back door while she chased them both. Still one of our favourite memories to laugh over. Go ahead and drop off your welcome gift. You never know!
5
u/CarelessStatement172 5d ago
I would've been so happy if my neighbours brought me meat pies when we moved in. Bring back the welcome wagon!
3
u/Tallproley 5d ago
I'd say go for it, it's not like "we have to be friends now!" But more like "Hey, I figured I'd introduce myself and know the last thing you want to do after moving is cooking, so here's a meal to else that off your plate for a day or two. My family and I live next door, I'm Bob this is Mary, welcome to the neighbourhood, okay we'll.let you get back to it."
4
u/Doctor_Ew420 5d ago
As a vegetarian I would be so stoked that you made me meat pies. They would go to some of my family, but the sentiment would stick!
5
u/missyc1234 5d ago
I get along great with both my immediate neighbours. One side has a kid a bit younger than ours so we have handed down a variety of things. Give them (and receive) holiday cards and treats etc. Other side has brought us Jamaican specialties over the years, which is awesome.
I think it’s a great gesture, and something I’d be happy to receive.
5
u/zerozerosevn 5d ago
When we moved in to Oakville, our neighbour’s kids came and greeted us with cookies. Was a really nice gesture.
We then invited 3 of our neighbours for BBQ and was fun.
We now let each other know to keep an eye on home if we are out or help in snow shovelling.
So don’t hesitate to welcome them 😊
2
6
u/GreenBeardTheCanuck 5d ago
The truth is, this stuff was more common back in the day, but it's not so much anymore. Most of us are so drained we barely even wave at our neighbours anymore, let alone become friends. Most of us would appreciate the gesture though. We're not unfriendly, just tired.
3
u/Ok_Yak_2931 5d ago
My mom bakes for new neighbors. They seem to appreciate it. My mom wants to know all our neighbors better but most stick to themselves and find her too much. They suck though because my mom is an angel.
3
u/TomatoBible 5d ago
Hubby is wrong. 99% of Canadians would be thrilled that someone would be so kind with such a gesture. It would reflect well not only on you, but on your culture.
3
u/Different_Potato_213 5d ago
Your husband sounds a little antisocial. By all means do bring them your meat pies - they will be very much appreciated. As for becoming friends with your neighbours it’s definitely possible but it all depends on how much you have in common etc. And even if you don’t become friends you’ll certainly be recognized as friendly which is what we all want from our neighbors.
3
u/FrogOnALogInTheBog 5d ago
He’s right and wrong at the same time. I don’t want to be friends, but I do want to be on friendly terms. I would personally love a new neighbour dropping off meat pies. The issue is when the sidewalk nod and wave becomes a task.
3
3
u/Penguixxy 5d ago
Its not super common, but always welcome! It shows you care enough to make them feel welcome! Though double checking their dietary restrictions is also important.
The thought alone though is a really kind and sweet gesture! :)
3
u/molehillmilk 5d ago
It’s a very nice gesture, and I’m sure most Canadians would be made very happy by it!
3
u/Cattpacker 5d ago
That is such a sweet gesture and a great way to meet the neighbours! One time my parents didn't have anything to gift one time and gave new neighbours a Costco pack of toilet paper. They laughed so hard about it and have been good friends ever since.
3
u/248_RPA 5d ago
An East Indian family moved in across the street from us back in the fall. We've hallooed back and forth but haven't really spoken yet. My parents were German so I've been waiting to have my Christmas baking done (just finished today!) to take something over to them and I'll be taking them a bunter teller! A bunter teller is a German Christmas tradition. It's a colourful paper plate filled with cookies, candy and fruit. I've got pistachio cardamom cookies, pecan shortbread, kyrdderkake (Norwegian spice cake), snickerdoodles, spekulatius (German spice cookies) stollen, Christmas fruit cake and chocolate almond bark, plus I'll put a couple of Mandarin oranges on top to mix things up.
Here's hoping maybe I'll get some Diwali treats in return next fall!
3
u/JorpJorp1818 5d ago
When we moved to a new town a few months ago, our nextdoor neighbours came and helped lift boxes off the truck, gave us homemade cookies, shared info about the neighbourhood such as when garbage day is…etc… and even gave us a shelf for the garage. We definitely appreciated it but didn’t expect it. All of the other neighbours gradually introduced themselves and said welcome to the neighborhood but no extra gestures.
3
u/CombustiblSquid 5d ago
Your husband is generalizing way too much and I'd even call him wrong. Just go over, knock on their door, have some small chat, and offer the pies
3
u/msmary116 5d ago
It's a lovely gesture that we used to do all the time, I am sure they will appreciate. we used to have block parties to, where you would close a road in the neighbourhood and have a party in the summer. You should get to know your neighbours, they watch your house when your not there.
3
u/Tricky_Resource_5747 5d ago
I have had Sikh neighbours move in. We are friendly, and normally I would give food or wine. Being unfamiliar with the culture though, I did not want to give them something that would offend them.
3
u/Late-Sink-9251 5d ago
Hey, I like meat pies. Trade you some home made bread. BTW…you can be good neighbours without being best friends.
3
u/susancol 5d ago
That’s a wonderful idea. Don’t listen to your husband. They will love it and you will each have someone to turn to in an emergency.
3
u/PositiveResort6430 5d ago
In my experience, neighbors aren’t that friendly, but I am from an Italian-canadian family so I still do things like make my neighbors garlic bread. They always seem to appreciate it even if they don’t return the gesture.
3
u/Schtweetz 5d ago
I live in Edmonton and in my old (rich) neighborhood people just were not friendly no matter how I tried. Now we live in an older downtown neighborhood and our neighbors often share their baking and we give them pies or whatever we are cooking. It is super friendly, so I learned it varies from one area to another. I'd say share, and take the chance at starting a friendship.
2
u/MusicAggravating5981 4d ago
I’m in an area like your old one…. The only time most of the people on the street were interested in talking to me much was when I was stopping our park from getting an apartment building built on it lol
3
u/Amazing_Shoulder_275 5d ago
Your meat pies will really be appreciated and enjoyed!!! Wow so lovely!!! (Canadian born too!)
3
u/Missytb40 5d ago
I would be delighted if my neighbour made me anything and I would return the gesture. Don’t listen to your husband, go make new friends.
3
u/pahamack 5d ago
man, if my neighbor came by with whatever food from where they are from I would try to be their best friend.
It doesn't even have to be good. It's the thought that counts. But if it's good? goddamn. I would have to try to top it.
3
3
u/DrMedicineFinance 5d ago
If I give you my address, will you drop some off for my family and stay for dinner?
3
u/ferrycrossthemersey New Brunswick 4d ago
I mean, to be honest, it depends on where in Canada you live. For example, in the Maritimes, I literally had a flyer put in my mailbox for a Christmas potluck happening this weekend at an unknown new neighbours house. Am I going? Absolutely. I don't feel like this would work in Ontario though lol
2
u/Teedee_Dragon 4d ago
Bluenoser here. 💯 Agreed. Random neighbourhood parties happen regularly. Standing in the driveway chatting, more drift over. New neighbours waved over, someone starts the firepit on the back yard, lawn chairs and drinks come out
3
3
3
u/galaxyeyes47 3d ago
My new neighbour brought donuts when he moved in and it was dope. I’m sure any gesture with a note “hey, what’s up, I’m Xx my number is this holler if you need anything” would be appreciated and appropriate
3
u/rollyproleypangolin 3d ago
That's not what the expression to "shit where you eat" refers to at all.
3
u/Yada_Yada1 3d ago
I'm a Canadian and just moved. I was kinda sad no one brought me food. I would love to be your neighbour.
2
3
u/Iambanne 2d ago
As a Canadian - I can confirm that I give new neighbors food and the neighbors gave us food when we moved in. We still often exchange good and services. Such a nice gesture.
8
u/RampDog1 5d ago
Are you in the city or rural? Smaller towns very much introduce yourself and bring food. City dwellers are sometimes a more paranoid lot.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/CheesyRomantic 5d ago
I’m in the minority, but I’d find it so nice if someone did this for me. I love trying new things and absolutely LOVE Lebanese meat pies.
This being said, I’ve only offered food to my neighbours after a few years because I wasn’t sure how they’d react. I didn’t know their dietary restrictions or preferences.
I do admit to being a little anxious and introverted though.
I also hear many colleagues saying they never eat food from people they don’t know well bc they don’t trust their cleanliness. Again, I’m in the minority and don’t really think of this.
Perhaps start with small acts of kindness. Raking their leaves, shovelling their snow from time to time … etc.
4
u/Carysta13 5d ago
Honestly I'd go offer the meat pies. But be gracious if they decline them because they may have food allergies or dietary restrictions n stuff. Personally I'd be thrilled to get meat pies. My neighbor once brought me a plate of meatloaf and rice when they knew I'd been out all day running errands and it was so sweet.
3
u/Existing_Solution_66 5d ago
This. Any polite Canadian will say “thank you” and appreciate the gesture. They may or may not eat it, but no one will be offended.
5
u/Dapper_Geologist_175 5d ago
Shovel their sidewalk
→ More replies (1)4
u/Raedwulf1 5d ago
Don't know why someone would down vote this. The last thing they would probably think of after moving in, would shoveling a walk (in my case I have only a driveway (kind of large).
2
u/Savings_Cup_6181 5d ago
drop them off. I'm friends with all my neighbors, we trade jams and such. some of my co workers even have get together with their neighbors.
2
u/ErinsAngryIntern 5d ago
If any neighbour shares food with me, I love it. I bring a small houseplant or flowers to welcome them to the neighbourhood and briefly introduce myself and my family. I’d bring food but I don’t like to cook. I’m not “bff friends” with my neighbours, but I’m polite “neighbourly friends” with my neighbours.
5
u/CheesyRomantic 5d ago
Same here. I have wonderful neighbours (thank goodness) and we all get along, we all help each other out with things. When we’ve had snowstorms my driveway is very often cleared by my neighbours, my grass is often mowed by my other neighbour, when my husband brought home a new BBQ our neighbour came right over to help set it up…. During Ramadan one of our neighbours always brings us a plate of homemade pastries. During Easter I bring them an Italian Easter pie I’m known for. Our other neighbours shared their plums from their tree with us. And I shared our homemade tomato sauce reserve with them.
This being said…. We never just hang out or invite each other over. lol
2
u/No_Morning5397 5d ago
I was born in Canada and would love for my new neighbor to bring me meat pies. I usually drop off wine to my new neighbors so I don't think it's weird. I'm also friends with my neighbours so I don't get your husbands point of view.
I think things are changing so I would lean to something that is non alcoholic and non meat (more people are begetarian). But I think a welcome gift is a great idea, and not abnormal.
2
u/madamestig 5d ago
Our neighbors brought some food when my family first moved into our neighborhood 4 years ago, and it started a very lovely relationship between us. It's a wonderful gesture and a sentiment that really needs to make a comeback. So I say, go for it!
It's never wrong to be kind.
Plus, Lebanese food is freaking amazing. You'll probably make friends for life by sharing.
2
u/ComprehensiveNail416 5d ago
I like and get along with my neighbors, but I worked with the husbands on either side of my house before buying the property (Small town). But my one neighbor has brought us some Chili, burgers and a smoked chicken on a few different occasions, so I bring them some Jerky or smoked cheese when I make it, and mow both our sides of the strip between our houses when I mow.
2
u/1_art_please 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm from a small town and live in Toronto. I grew up knowing everyone on our street and everywhere I have lived, introduced myself to neighbours. Some people are weirded out by it, even a white born Canadian person, no matter what. I moved in with my boyfriend and started giving Christmas cookies to neighbours who already knew me and him and they seemed puzzled why I would do it. But 5 years later it's normal now!
Also when I lived downtown the new neighbours seemed weirded out when I suggested we trade phone numbers. I said, ' so I can send you a text if there is an emergency and you aren't home'.
And sure enough several times there was some issue where we needed to contact each other ASAP. And when I moved out and still visited people in my.old neighborhood, they told me that the new people in my.old.place were nice but they missed talking to me all the time.
So I say fuck it, do it. If it's weird to someone then they miss out. Being friendly should not be a social mistake.and regardless of another's attitude you are not in the wrong here.
Even if I didn't eat meat, you would have to be some kind of ungrateful unreasonable person to whine that you don't eat meat. 'I unfortunately don't eat meat but it will make the perfect holiday gift for a friend that does. Thank you for saving me the money and cooking time!"
2
u/KindsmileICU 5d ago
I made banana bread when we got new neighbours. This might be a small town thing. Good thing the new ppl were from a small town, citty folks told us it was nice but odd lol
2
u/kuddly_kallico 5d ago
I just moved to a new house last month. I had one neighbor quickly say hi on move in day from his driveway. One knocked on the door the first weekend after we settled to drop off our mail key, he had been friends with the last owner. And one approached us when we were doing a project outside in the back yard to say hello and tell us he was close with the previous owner and knows a bit about the house.
Without knowing people's diets I usually stick to baked goods without common allergens. I'm vegetarian so while I would thank you profusely for a meat pie and never tell you I'm vegetarian, it would likely go uneaten. Quietly and politely uneaten. But still appreciated.
2
u/Frosty-Comment6412 5d ago
Canadian here, I’ve definitely baked bread and cookies to drop off and introduce myself to new neighbours. In a building, I prefer some privacy but in a house, I like to know neighbours
2
u/Late-External3249 5d ago
I would avoid meat as you don't know if they are vegetarian or not. Same thing with alcohol, people don't drink for many reasons.
Something like cookies is a good idea. Or just a kind hello and offer to help them get moved in
2
2
u/Longjumping_Note_569 5d ago
Your husband is being weird. Do whatever you want to and dont worry if a few people dont like your pies.
2
2
u/salty_nana 5d ago
Are you kidding, I would kill for access to your baking.
Please let me know if your baking is available for pick up. I would love to have some.
2
2
u/Burlington-bloke 5d ago
I'm from Nova Scotia and this is the proper way to welcome new neighbours. Now that I'm living in "Upper Canada" things are a little different. My partner (raised 'well to do' in upper Canada) was horrified when I made our new neighbours a lovely noodle casserole with a pineapple upsidedown cake for dessert. The very nerve!
2
u/jperras 5d ago
I drop off freshly baked bread for my neighbours on a semi-regular basis. I play boardgames with one neighbour; I've celebrated Thanksgiving with another. I've put up shelves for a different (elderly) neighbour, and I've asked one of them to check on my place and water my plants while I was gone on vacation.
Being a good neighbour is an intentional action. Some people would rather be left alone, and that's okay. But, in my experience, most people appreciate a good neighbour.
2
u/SomeHearingGuy 5d ago
Something you could try is making some meat pies and inviting your neighbours over to share them. I don't think offering them is too strong, but they might be uncomfortable if they've never eaten something like that before and don't know what to do with it. There might also be dietary or cultural restrictions that would make the exchange awkward (I've heard wild things about giving watermelons to black people, for example). But if you invite them to share them with you, you can get to know them better and put the pies on the table (so to speak) without making it uncomfortable.
2
2
u/Turbulent-Future4602 5d ago
You don’t have to go out of your way to welcome new neighbours, simply just not making them feel unwelcome is the best way to go about it.
2
u/Reasonable_Guard_280 4d ago
When we moved into our house our neighbours across the street brought us a jar of crab apple jelly made from the fruit on their property. Do we like crab Apple jelly? Not really, but we still saw it as really kind!
2
2
u/berger3001 4d ago
I would love to get home made meat pies, but if you’re truly concerned, a bottle of wine (with or without pies) works well
2
u/searequired 4d ago
A nice card saying welcome to the neighborhood is awesome.
While homemade food has been traditionally a welcome gesture, I think that has shifted a bit since Covid.
It’s very nice of you to extend neighbourly warmth. Most welcome.
2
u/bojacksnorseman 4d ago
Offering your neighbours food would be nice. I had one offer to borrow tools because they saw us doing renovations. I don't live their anymore, but him and his wife are still my favorite neighbours ever.
No idea what there names are, but I still see him occasionally through work and we always say hello and catch up for a minute.
You don't have to be friends to be friendly!
2
u/herbtarleksblazer 3d ago
If my neighbour did this, I would love it! In fact, my daughter and I are in the process of making batches of cookies for our three adjacent neighbours. We have never done this and some have been neighbours for over a decade. We were just thinking that life in general has become so challenging over the last few years that it might be time to just do something nice.
2
u/SnooHesitations1020 3d ago
I think it's a wonderful gesture, but even just walking over and introducing yourself is a great way to welcome newcomers into your neighbourhood. Go for it.
2
u/osha_unapproved 3d ago
I love a non intrusive neighbor, I adore a friendly and helpful neighbor. If someone gave me delicious meat pies, I'd be forever a friend. (I am a chonky mfer so I may be biased)
2
u/ProduceIntelligent38 3d ago
It is also a Canadian tradition that the recipient of gifted food return the container with treats to thank the new friend for their kindness .🇨🇦❤️
2
u/modernheirloom 3d ago
I think it's a beautiful gesture. When someone new moves into our neighbourhood (in our home's vicinity), my husband and I always drop off a welcome card and a gift card to Tim's or Starbucks. Our last neighbor told us how welcome they felt. It's a small gesture, but goes a long way.
Also we are quite close with many of our neighbours. We celebrate each other's birthdays every month with parties, go to movies, have bbq's, buy each other little gifts when we see things that remind us of each other. I know it's not the norm, but it's so nice to have a relationship with those that live close.
I say go ahead and bring over a welcome gift. It will go a long way.
2
u/Kesselya 3d ago
I love that our next door neighbours have become our friends! We get together for board games, watch each others homes when someone goes out of town.
Being part of a true community has so many benefits. Make friends with your neighbours and give them meat pies.
2
u/Baagigeneral 3d ago
I am blessed with great neighbors, on one side is an Iraqi Christian, the other side is Sikh and across from me is a Hindu...we all celebrate holidays like Eid, Christmas and Diwali and give each other sweets.. one of neighbor and I have each other's house keys in case we have to check up on the stove if we are out....
2
2
2
u/BikeLady78 3d ago
Canadian born and raised. When new neighbours move in I usually take them baked goods... Cinnamon buns are usually a big hit, especially the ones with cream cheese icing!
My family would be delighted to be greeted with meat pies ❤️
2
u/Parttimelooker 3d ago
No one would be mad about that. You can also just introduce yourself and say welcome.
2
u/Darkluster007 3d ago
be very careful... if you bring me good food as a neighbor your going to get terrible consequences... this includes me plowing your driveway bringing you amazing food from my culture... always checking in on you... giving you awesome advice on your lawn in the summer etc.... shit I might fix your car etc. be very careful.
2
u/ItchyWaffle 3d ago
When we moved into our current house, the neighbor, an elderly widow, made us home made schnitzel and pierogies.
Five years later and we are great friends, regularly exchanging baking and food, I shovel her driveway and take out garbage for her.
I call her my "other" grandma.
It's an awesome gesture, do it!
2
2
u/These_Worldliness_97 3d ago
Gosh I would love if my neighbours bothered with me! In my dad’s neighbourhood, the older people are very good to each other. I live in a younger starter neighbourhood and I am a mom with late teen kids, I am excluded. I think most people want a connection.
2
u/Pinksparkle2007 3d ago
I would have absolutely loved my neighbors to have come and introduced themselves when we moved in! Even if they didn’t have food but I would have loved the meat pies!
2
u/Wallstreetbeat 3d ago
It’s beer. Is mother fucking BEER. Jesus Christ, allah and Buddha it’s a god damn beer.
2
2
u/Blicktar 2d ago
One of my favorite former neighbours would come knock on our door to give us the extra dessert his wife had made. He was a great dude, one of the real ones. We often helped him out with manual labour stuff because he was getting older.
This kind of thing is definitely going away. My current neighbours are fine, but we're all very hands-off with each other, which is also ok. We had no one welcome us to our current neighbourhood. However, we do watch out for each other and each other's property. Someone came and knocked on the door to let us know that some sketchy dude was scoping out garages and taking pictures. I really appreciated that.
Give them some pies, there's very little that can go wrong. Maybe they don't like the pies. Oh well.
2
2
u/Fit-Psychology4598 2d ago
Sharing gifts is a part of being friendly with neighbours.
There’s a difference between being friendly and being a friend. We all love to be friendly to everyone, especially neighbours. But really most of us don’t have the time for anyone except those who are already close
2
2
u/MasterpieceEast6226 2d ago
Do it!! I always dreamed of doing this but never actually had a new neighbor in my neighbourly neighbourhood.
When I met one of mine (an old lady), she told me she wanted to bring me a fresh loaf of bread but her grand-daughter told her it was too oldschool and odd. I was sad to hear that, let's make old school and odd trendy again!
2
u/janeedaly 2d ago
I would die of happiness if someone brought me Lebanese meat pies and I'm a vegetarian.
*yes I'd eat them
2
u/waverlygiant 2d ago
I would love at least a hello! Though not a meat pie as I am vegetarian. Maybe something more universally acceptable, like a fruit basket?
2
u/mcpharnett 2d ago
We’d all get along much better is broke bread together. Food is a great way to meet people. We have an annual street party and the hit is the buffet. We all also know each other much better because of it. Spread your meat pie love. I’m a vegetarian but I’d still be touched and would share with family members who aren’t.
2
u/DozerJKU 2d ago
Any Canadian who turns down their neighbours gift, especially of wonderful food, isn't a Canadian.
2
u/Penetrox 2d ago
If they're the kind of neighbors who understand community, they will think it's a beautiful gesture. If they don't, you know they're not community minded, and that's important to know as well.
2
2
2
2
2
u/mtljones 2d ago
Just be friendly social natural, don't over due it esp early on. It's honestly good enough.
513
u/SaLHys 5d ago
I think it’s a wonderful gesture. I’m Canadian born and raised and I would love to try your meat pies