Moving is leaving. It’s taking yourself and going to another place miles upon miles, sometimes oceans away from the people you see each day.
Having a moving away party is a great way to create closure with your friends and family. It allows you and them to share a final experience together and say goodbye. Of course, moving away does not mean that you will never see these people again, but even in the age of Skype, it does mean that things will never quite be the same, especially for the people who you see daily or weekly.
A good moving away party can take on many forms, but here are some things to consider to make yours a memorable bookend to your time in town:
1. Choose a place soaked in memories – if you and your friends spent many summer nights on your patio, have the party there; if you used to frequent a restaurant or bar, have it there. Enjoy a place you have enjoyed many times before.
2. Don’t invite the world – you want to be able to spend meaningful time with the people you are closest with, so don’t invite everybody you’ve known and their sister.
3. Keep it simple – don’t plan on cooking a five course feast or slaving to make everything just right. Again, you want to spend time with your guests.
4. Keep it open ended – don’t plan an afternoon party if you have to be somewhere at 7:00 that night. Cutting things off early is like throwing water on a fire. You want your party to smolder with laughs and reminiscence as long as feels right.