Moving? How to Throw an Awesome Goodbye Party

What do you call a farewell celebration? People are increasingly celebrating changes in their lives, particularly those that are favorable. Most people view their decision to move as a significant opportunity for something novel and interesting.

For instance, they can be moving because they fell in love and want to establish a family, or they might be moving for a job in a distant city. No matter what, many people who are moving opt to plan a farewell gathering, sometimes known as a going away party, because their friends or family members typically support them in this decision.

When it comes to farewell parties, there is something different you are trying to accomplish. You are reminiscing, at some level, while entertaining. Most farewell parties are bittersweet and have the potential for a drab tone rather than a celebratory tone if not executed correctly.

While you do not want to rejoice that you are leaving, you have to admit there is a certain excitement that comes with the new move and the unknown. You want to temper your desire to move with courtesy to the ones staying.

Remember, you are leaving their homes and their city, so leave with a gracious spirit. Do not leave with a spirit of condescension for anyone who remains. Most importantly, do not take this time to elaborate on how miserable you were living there.

So in your party, incorporate some of the great local food and drinks that you will not get elsewhere. This praises the town you are leaving and gives you the opportunity to get one last bite before you depart.

You should choose whether your guest list will include only friends or a combination of relatives and friends based on your preferences and available options. You should consider your topic while choosing a card, and your invitations should follow that theme. Furthermore, you’ll need time to collect RSVPs if arranging your celebration takes a lot of time. A helpful generalization is that non-formal invitation cards can be sent out 2-3 weeks in advance, but formal invitations should be sent out 4-6 weeks in advance.

Remember that every migration is different and that planning is necessary to make the event special, whether you’re relocating out of state for love or because of a wonderful job.

You might also want to include some photography from your stay. If you have been there a while, this should be relatively easy. If you were not there long, then gather some photos of the local scenery and have them staged around your party. It allows for some funny stories to be told and also conjures up some sentimental feelings for ‘the old place’.

One great idea is to develop some way to get everyone’s email, Skype, or social media profile. Phone numbers are great, but if you’re moving long distances or internationally, they become irrelevant. Skype is typically one of the better ways to stay connected because you can video call or instant message those long-lost contacts from your previous move.

On our last move, we were presented with a “Sayonara Doll” which is a Japanese doll wrapped in a scroll. It allowed everyone to write a personal message and also would be a great place to capture some contact information. Something similar would be a great touch to the farewell party.

Even going-away parties without a theme can profit from some entertainment tailored to the occasion. Set up a photo booth zone, for instance (some streamers in front of a wall will serve), and ask guests to pose for Polaroids with them. Afterward, have them place the pictures on an album they may take with them to their new house. You could also perform a roast if your friend is game, or you could keep it mild and just let folks speak briefly if they want to.

One last great touch that most farewell parties include is a speech by those who are leaving. If you are an introvert, prepare yourself. You can write out everything you want to say or you can ad-lib if you are thoughtful enough.

If you’re giving a party to someone else, you might ask guests to make a brief farewell speech for the honored guest.  If you’re the honored guest, you can give a speech thanking guests for attending and sharing recollections from the past.

Also, remember when moving to acquire all the moving tips possible in order to ensure a successful relocation.

Just be sure to say a collective “thank you” and highlight the great friendships, food, and places that will be missed. Keep it brief yet personalized, and you will find people are appreciative and moved. Think through how you intend to farewell everyone, and do it in a classy yet memorable way (this means you are coherent enough to string together some thoughtful words at this point in the party).